Minnesota and North Dakota: Jun 01—09, 2009

Great Gray Owl — Photo: Kevin Zimmer

From the vast boreal forests and remote boglands of northern Minnesota to the beautiful rolling prairie-pothole country of eastern North Dakota, this relatively short tour typically experiences a rich array of as many as 200 bird species on their breeding grounds.

From the remote coniferous forests of the Superior National Forest to the sedge marshes and tamarack bogs near Duluth, and west to the rolling grasslands and alkaline wetlands near Jamestown, North Dakota, this tour offers a wide variety of habitats that are home to many sought-after birds. Here, as well, is a multitude of more familiar species in full song and colorful breeding plumage, and on their breeding grounds—aspects unfamiliar to those birders who see these birds only in winter or during migration.

Ruffed Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and Evening Grosbeak are characteristic permanent residents of northeastern Minnesota's vast boreal forests where the tour begins. Also nesting here are Yellow-bellied and Alder flycatchers, Philadelphia Vireo, over 20 species of warblers (including Connecticut, Mourning, Cape May, Golden-winged, and Canada), and many other passerines singing on territory. With luck, there is also the possibility of finding a Northern Goshawk, Spruce Grouse, a Barred or Northern Saw-whet owl, American Three-toed Woodpecker, or one of the crossbills.

In the more mixed and open habitats near Duluth, a few Great Gray Owls and Sharp-tailed Grouse are permanent but elusive residents which we manage to find most years. Usually easier to locate are the likes of American Woodcock, Black-billed Cuckoo, Le Conte's and Nelson's Sharp-tailed sparrows, and we will also schedule an evening to search a favored sedge marsh for Yellow Rails.

West of Jamestown there are miles of roads through magnificent grasslands and past numerous alkaline potholes. Baird's Sparrow and Sprague's Pipit (both now rare) are always our highest priorities here, but there is much more of interest to see in these wide open spaces of the Great Plains including Gray Partridge, Greater Prairie-Chicken, Ferruginous Hawk, Piping Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Franklin's Gull, Willow Flycatcher, Dickcissel, Clay-colored and Grasshopper sparrows, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Bobolink, and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Several early morning starts; birding mostly along roadsides with mostly short walks; some long driving days; weather normally pleasant, with often cool temperatures at dawn; some biting insects and wood ticks likely.