Continue north for 1.7 miles and turn right (east). During migration check for Common Snipe and rails in the ditches on the right. Watch for Chestnut-collared Longspurs as well. Drive 1.0 mile and turn right again. Mountain Bluebirds have been found during spring (March 20-30) around the farm area. Also check the surrounding fields in spring and fall for Ruddy Turnstones and Buff-breasted Sandpipers. After 0.7 mile the east end of Kelly’s Slough is on the right. At 1.8 miles you may drive west through the cluster of buildings at Kelly and check the nearby fields for Black-bellied and Lesser Golden Plovers (migration only). To continue the tour, turn left (east) at 0.2 mile past Kelly.
Drive east for 2.0 miles to an old, white, country school-house. During migration check the fields south of the intersection for Marbled and Hudsonian Godwits. Continue straight east for another mile before turning left (north). After 0.6 mile pull over to the left. Walk to the northwest (45° to the left of the road ahead). There is a Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing ground about 300 yards out. According to Frank Kelley, there is a reasonably good chance of the grouse being on or near the grounds at daybreak. At other times they may be anywhere within a two-mile radius. Sprague’s Pipits and Chestnut-collared Longspurs nest in the same area.
Return south, the same way you came in, and turn left (east). Check any areas with tall grass in the next few miles for Sedge Wrens and Le Conte’s Sparrows. After 2.0 miles turn right (south). In spring check fields to the north and east of the intersection for Ruddy Turnstones and Buff-breasted Sandpipers. After 0.5 mile, stop at the first of three entrances to the sewage lagoons. As many as twenty species of shorebirds can often be seen from the gate. The greatest concentrations occur in mid-August. In migration large numbers of grebes, ducks, and gulls use the ponds. Look for the rarer ducks or shorebirds. Check nearby plowed fields for Lesser Golden Plover (in migration), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (migration), and Upland Sandpiper (anytime from spring through fall). For different views stop at the other two gates. Continue for 5.0 miles and turn left (east) onto Highway 2 to return to Grand Forks.
A good place for woodland birds is Turtle River State Park, one mile north of Arvilla or about 18 miles west of Grand Forks along Highway 2. The entrance is well marked. This whole area was once covered by glacial Lake Agassiz. As the lake lowered, the shoreline remained stable for some time, allowing the wave action to form a prominent beach ridge along what is now the eastern edge of the park. Here Baird’s Sparrows occasionally are found in the grassy fields.
Summer residents are Sharp-shinned (rare), Cooper’s (rare), Red-tailed, and Broad-winged Hawks; Spotted Sandpiper; Black-billed Cuckoo; Common Screech and Great Horned Owls; Common Nighthawk; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Belted Kingfisher; Common Flicker; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; Red-headed, Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers; Great Crested, Willow, and Least Flycatchers; Eastern Pewee; Blue Jay; American Crow; Black-capped Chickadee; White-breasted Nuthatch; House Wren; Gray Catbird; Brown Thrasher; American Robin; Cedar Waxwing; Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos; Yellow Warbler; Northern Oriole; Common Grackle; Scarlet Tanager; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Indigo Bunting; American Goldfinch; and Chipping, Clay-colored, and Song Sparrows.
Winter visitors include Northern Goshawk (rare), Barred Owl (rare), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bohemian Waxwing, Rusty Blackbird, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Purple Finch, Red and White-winged (rare) Crossbills, Northern Junco, and American Tree, Harris’ (rare), and White-throated (rare) Sparrows. Other winter species which may be seen in the open areas surrounding the park are Sharp-tailed Grouse, Gray Partridge, Mourning Dove, Snowy and Short-eared Owls, Horned Lark, Black-billed Magpie, Western Meadowlark, Common and Hoary (rare) Redpolls, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting.
The park is at its best in spring when the trees are dripping with migrant warblers and other passerines, such as Olive-sided Flycatcher; Hermit, Swainson’s, and Gray-cheeked Thrushes; Veery; Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; Yellow-throated, Solitary, and Philadelphia Vireos; Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Magnolia, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Palm, Connecticut, Mourning, Wilson’s, and Canada Warblers; Ovenbird; Northern Waterthrush; American Redstart; Rufous-sided Towhee; and Harris’, White-crowned, White-throated, Fox, Lincoln’s, and Swamp Sparrows. All of these species occur in similar habitat throughout the area (especially along the Red River in Grand Forks).
h) [Nelson] County
NELSON COUNTY