Grand North Dakota Tour: July 6 to 14, 2011
Photos by Linda Mack unless otherwise noted
To download a copy of the trip species list in pdf format, click here.
Wednesday, July 6 -- Tour participants made their way to our hotel in Bismark, where we met after dinner to get acquainted, review the itinerary, and get a feel for each participant's expectations.
Thursday, July 7 -- Our first day of birding began with a stop at McKenzie Slough where we were immediately greeted by numbers of Black and Forster’s Terns, dabbling ducks, Wilson’s Phalaropes in various plumages, and stunning male Yellow-headed Blackbirds. A breeding-plumaged White-faced Ibis made for a nice study. Heading eastward, we visited the DeWald Slough area and had nice looks at a breeding-plumaged Red-necked Grebe, fly-by Cattle Egrets, wolf-whistling Upland Sandpipers, and the first of many Swainson’s Hawks.
After lunch at Lake Isabel, where we enjoyed our first good looks at Clay-colored Sparrows and singing Orchard Orioles, we ventured north towards Tuttle, and encountered a family group of Ferruginous Hawks, with two adults and three young standing on a grassy hillside. Endless fields and grasslands stretched to the skies as we headed to Horsehead Lake. Late in the afternoon we made a quick stop at Long Lake NWR, and were treated to numerous Western Grebe families (chicks riding on moms’ backs) and a pair of Clark’s Grebes, before returning to our hotel.
Friday, July 8 -- The day began with a stop at the Painted Rocks Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with incredible views of the North Dakota Badlands. Just north of the visitor center at Medora, we enjoyed scope views of a Rock Wren and Spotted Towhee, while a small herd of Elk grazed on a distant hillside. We stopped at a large Black-tailed Prairie Dog town and watched the interactions of these interesting animals.
A walk around the Cottonwood Campground produced cooperative Western Wood-Pewees, Bullock’s and Orchard Orioles along with a perched American Kestrel. Lunch at the picnic area was delayed by the appearance of a singing male Lazuli Bunting, which we all saw well through scopes. The short Wind Canyon Trail provided broad views of the Little Missouri River and two soaring Golden Eagles. A couple of Violet-green Swallows buzzed by, allowing us to see their whiter rump and pale cheeks, both field marks that distinguish them from Tree Swallow. Continuing on the auto loop we viewed herds of wild horses and bison families. We encountered a strong thunderstorm before finishing the day afield at the Visitor Center.
Saturday, July 9 -- Today we headed south to Stewart Lake NWR, where a Great Horned Owl was inexplicably sitting in the grasslands (sorry van # 2!). Walking towards the lake revealed two singing Baird’s Sparrows—great scope views followed. A Golden Eagle appeared in the distance, and while Linda searched for the bird she spotted another distant raptor. As it drew closer we identified it as a Prairie Falcon, and the bird obligingly flew overhead for wonderful looks. Other birds at the refuge included Eared Grebes and a Grasshopper Sparrow perched on a purple thistle.
Lunch at Marmarth Park started with multiple Common Nighthawks calling and flying overhead, and while eating we saw Eurasian Collared-Dove, Say’s Phoebe, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Bullock’s Oriole. The afternoon was spent driving rural back roads north of town, and included more light-morph Swainson’s Hawks and a great look at a Loggerhead Shrike.
Our day’s birding concluded with a stop where an amazing 14 Burrowing Owls (including three babies) and numerous Chestnut-collared Longspurs inhabited a prairie dog town.
Sunday, July 10 -- Driving south we stopped at a few Adams County sites, including a spot with a Swainson’s Hawk nest and attendant adult, a Western Kingbird, and male Orchard Oriole all perched in the same tree. Nearby wetlands hosted calling Soras, families of Canvasbacks, American Avocets, and scores of Wilson’s Phalaropes.
Just south of the state line we stopped in Harding County, South Dakota and enjoyed more raptors, including multiple Swainson’s Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks while Horned Larks and Baird’s Sparrows sang from the fields. Late in the afternoon a walk around Spearfish Canyon Falls produced the first of many singing Veeries, an active family of American Dippers—with two young begging for and receiving food. Additionally, we found four Red Crossbills in the scopes from a bridge over the falls.
Monday, July 11 -- An early morning walk in Spearfish Canyon produced another American Dipper, “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler, and several White-throated Swifts over the canyon walls. After breakfast we visited Hanna Campground and had great looks at a MacGillivray’s Warbler carrying food, heard singing Golden-crowned Kinglets and Swainson’s Thrushes, and observed several Yellow-bellied Marmots around an abandoned building.
In the afternoon much of the group took a break from birds to visit Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments, while the remainder visited Bear Butte State Park.
Tuesday, July 12 -- Heading west, we crossed into Wyoming and spent the morning birding beautiful Sand Creek. A singing Rock Wren allowed great views, and a Prairie Falcon screamed by. At a stream crossing several White-throated Swifts flew low enough to provide good contrast against a land background, allowing us to see their colors and identifying field marks well. A singing Cordilleran Flycatcher was cooperative, both Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches called from Bur Oak woodlands, and we saw an Eastern Phoebe in a region where many eastern and western bird species overlap.
On our return to the interstate, we stopped to enjoy good looks at a Grasshopper Sparrow perched on barbed wire. We took the scenic route through beautiful country to Devils Tower National Monument. Lunch at the picnic grounds was shared with a great look at a Red-headed Woodpecker, while a distant Ferruginous Hawk and Prairie Falcon circled the famed geologic icon. A few participants saw a Plumbeous Vireo at the crowded visitor center. From here, we made a much quieter stop, slightly off the trodden route, in an unpopulated meadow where we found many wildflowers, great views of Devil's Tower, and looks at a stunning male Mountain Bluebird. Our last stop was at the Belle Fourche River where loads of Cliff Swallows were actively attending nests under the bridge, a “western” Red-tailed Hawk was harassed by a male Bullock’s Oriole, and a juvenile Red Crossbill sat perched in a tall cottonwood tree.
Wednesday, July 13 -- Our final morning of birding was spent enjoying Roughlock Falls within Spearfish Canyon. More American Dippers were seen while we photographed the scenic falls, and another MacGillivray’s Warbler appeared. Lynne spotted our only visual Canyon Wren, perched high atop a steep rock face. Our afternoon was spent traversing the vast and very rural landscape of northern South Dakota, including a stop at Nisland Slough, which was highlighted by an unexpected pair of Black-necked Stilts. At our lunch stop at the Ben Ash Monument, we enjoyed families of Horned Larks and a good look at a Dickcissel perched atop a fence. A roadside wetland just east of Lemmon was our last stop and included a family group of Marbled Godwits along with Northern Pintails and Wilson’s Phalaropes before returning to our hotel to prepare for our departing flights home the next day.
Thursday, July 14 -- This morning we said our farewells to the beautiful pothole region of the Dakots and made our way home.
~~ Scott Barnes and Linda Mack