birding north dakota's prairie pothole region
June 13 to 18, 2021
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Georgia Audubon Host: Melanie Furr, Director of Education
Local Guide: Bob Anderson, PhD Biological Sciences, Valley State University
Group Size: Maximum 9 participants
Member Price: $1,695*
Non-member Price: $1,745* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $200
*Based on double occupancy
If you dream of birding vast prairies embedded with thousands of wetlands (potholes), then join us to explore North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole Region and the tremendous bird life that calls this region home. This is your chance to experience walking across a prairie with Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Baird’s Sparrows, Sprague’s Pipits, and Upland Sandpipers singing and displaying around you. Imagine spending sunrise at a sedge marsh with singing LeConte’s and Nelson’s Sparrows, Sedge Wrens, and possible Yellow Rails, all while Wilson’s Snipe winnow around you. Often referred to as the "Duck Factory” of North America because of the thousands of depressional wetlands that were left by retreating glaciers, the Prairie Pothole Region is estimated to host half of North America's migratory waterfowl. There’s a reason Julie Zickefoose promotes North Dakota’s Prairie Potholes in the book Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die as a place of "breathtaking beauty, serenity, and wide-open remoteness" where "the entire landscape is crammed seemingly past capacity with birds." Come experience the best kept secret in birding.
Local Guide: Bob Anderson, PhD Biological Sciences, Valley State University
Group Size: Maximum 9 participants
Member Price: $1,695*
Non-member Price: $1,745* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $200
*Based on double occupancy
If you dream of birding vast prairies embedded with thousands of wetlands (potholes), then join us to explore North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole Region and the tremendous bird life that calls this region home. This is your chance to experience walking across a prairie with Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Baird’s Sparrows, Sprague’s Pipits, and Upland Sandpipers singing and displaying around you. Imagine spending sunrise at a sedge marsh with singing LeConte’s and Nelson’s Sparrows, Sedge Wrens, and possible Yellow Rails, all while Wilson’s Snipe winnow around you. Often referred to as the "Duck Factory” of North America because of the thousands of depressional wetlands that were left by retreating glaciers, the Prairie Pothole Region is estimated to host half of North America's migratory waterfowl. There’s a reason Julie Zickefoose promotes North Dakota’s Prairie Potholes in the book Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die as a place of "breathtaking beauty, serenity, and wide-open remoteness" where "the entire landscape is crammed seemingly past capacity with birds." Come experience the best kept secret in birding.
Contact Melanie Furr at melanie.furr@georgiaaudubon.org or 678-973-2437 with any questions.
Photo credit: Chestnut-collared Longspur by Rick Bohn
Photo credit: Chestnut-collared Longspur by Rick Bohn
TRIP OVERVIEW
Click on each day for more information.
day 1, sunday, june 13
Travel Day – Fargo to Steele, ND
We will stop at Hobart National Wildlife Refuge and wetlands near Sanborn to view Western and possibly Clark’s grebes, along with many other birds.
We will stop at Hobart National Wildlife Refuge and wetlands near Sanborn to view Western and possibly Clark’s grebes, along with many other birds.
day 2, monday, june 14
Horsehead Lake Area in Kidder County
Horsehead Lake is an Important Bird Area designated by the American Bird Conservancy and the Audubon Society.
Target species for the day include: LeConte’s, Nelson’s, Baird’s, and Grasshopper sparrows, Ferruginous Hawk, Black tern, Sedge wren, Yellow-headed blackbird, Sprague’s pipit, Chestnut-collared longspur, Red-necked grebe, Sharp-tailed grouse, Marbled godwit, and POSSIBLY Yellow rail (rare).
Lunch: We will eat at the Robinson Café: We will call it ‘Pipits and Pie’.
Horsehead Lake is an Important Bird Area designated by the American Bird Conservancy and the Audubon Society.
Target species for the day include: LeConte’s, Nelson’s, Baird’s, and Grasshopper sparrows, Ferruginous Hawk, Black tern, Sedge wren, Yellow-headed blackbird, Sprague’s pipit, Chestnut-collared longspur, Red-necked grebe, Sharp-tailed grouse, Marbled godwit, and POSSIBLY Yellow rail (rare).
Lunch: We will eat at the Robinson Café: We will call it ‘Pipits and Pie’.
day 3, tuesday, june 15
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge area in Stutsman County and then back to Steele through Kidder, County.
Chase Lake Refuge was established in 1908 by Executive Order under President Theodore Roosevelt as a reserve and breeding ground for native birds, making it the second oldest refuge in North Dakota and the fifteenth refuge in the country. The refuge consists of 4,385 total acres, which 4,155 acres have been designated as wilderness area which was established in 1975 under the Wilderness Protection Act of 1964 and is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of American white pelicans in North America. Chase Lake is also an Important Bird Area designated by the American Bird Conservancy.
Targets: Willow and Least Flycatcher, Clay-colored Sparrow, Krider’s Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Say’s Phoebe, Brewer’s Blackbird, Western Kingbird, Western and Clark’s Grebe, Virginia Rail, and other prairie birds.
Lunch: We will eat at the Pettibone Café.
Chase Lake Refuge was established in 1908 by Executive Order under President Theodore Roosevelt as a reserve and breeding ground for native birds, making it the second oldest refuge in North Dakota and the fifteenth refuge in the country. The refuge consists of 4,385 total acres, which 4,155 acres have been designated as wilderness area which was established in 1975 under the Wilderness Protection Act of 1964 and is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of American white pelicans in North America. Chase Lake is also an Important Bird Area designated by the American Bird Conservancy.
Targets: Willow and Least Flycatcher, Clay-colored Sparrow, Krider’s Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Say’s Phoebe, Brewer’s Blackbird, Western Kingbird, Western and Clark’s Grebe, Virginia Rail, and other prairie birds.
Lunch: We will eat at the Pettibone Café.
day 4, wednesday, june 16
Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, DeWald Slough/Lake Etta, and Dawson Wildlife Management Area
The Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge was listed as a top 10 birding site by Wild Bird Magazine. It was also recently designated as both a Globally Important Bird Area and a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site because of its importance as both a breeding and migratory stopover site for more than 20,000, shorebirds, annually.
Targets: Shorebirds and waterfowl that we have not picked up already. Dickcissel. Possible Black-billed Cuckoo, and Gray Partridge. We would also target anything we may have previously missed.
Lunch: TBD
The Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge was listed as a top 10 birding site by Wild Bird Magazine. It was also recently designated as both a Globally Important Bird Area and a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site because of its importance as both a breeding and migratory stopover site for more than 20,000, shorebirds, annually.
Targets: Shorebirds and waterfowl that we have not picked up already. Dickcissel. Possible Black-billed Cuckoo, and Gray Partridge. We would also target anything we may have previously missed.
Lunch: TBD
day 5, thursday, june 17
We will be exploring the beautiful and rugged eastern edge of the Missouri River from west of Linton, ND up to Bismarck, ND.
Targets: Lark Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, Bell’s Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Least Tern, Piping Plover, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
Lunch: TBD
Targets: Lark Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, Bell’s Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Least Tern, Piping Plover, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
Lunch: TBD
day 6, friday, june 18
Bird our way back to Fargo.
Target any species we may have missed earlier, including doing some woodland birding somewhere in the Sheyenne River Valley. Arrive in Fargo by noon.
Target any species we may have missed earlier, including doing some woodland birding somewhere in the Sheyenne River Valley. Arrive in Fargo by noon.
additional details
Price Includes:
Price does not include:
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Georgia Audubon Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $650 down-payment at the time of registration ($700 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by March 1, 2021. The single supplement will also be billed at this time if that option was selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by March 1, 2021, a refund of all payments (less a $50 cancellation fee) made will be given. If notice of cancellation is received between March 2 and April 20, 2021, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled. In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a 100% refund will be given, less any expenses incurred by the tour operator.
Travel Insurance:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist.
- Dinners, including server tips, from Day 1 to Day 5
- All ground transportation by 15-passenger van
- Lodging accommodations for 5 nights, includes breakfasts from Day 2 to Day 6
- Expert local guide
- All park entrance fees
Price does not include:
- Airfare
- Lunches
- Tips (for the local guide(s), housekeeping, etc.)
- Alcoholic or specialty beverages
- Optional activities
- Snacks
- Laundry
- Travel insurance, recommended
- Medical costs
- Souvenirs
- Other incidentals participants may wish to purchase
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Georgia Audubon Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $650 down-payment at the time of registration ($700 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by March 1, 2021. The single supplement will also be billed at this time if that option was selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by March 1, 2021, a refund of all payments (less a $50 cancellation fee) made will be given. If notice of cancellation is received between March 2 and April 20, 2021, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled. In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a 100% refund will be given, less any expenses incurred by the tour operator.
Travel Insurance:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist.
