Birding in North Dakota
       and Boreal Forest in Minnesota

June 11 to 17, 2010

John Drummond, Trip Leader
   
Brief Trip Description:

June 11, 2010:  Morning Arrival in Fargo and Bird as Transfer to
Jamestown

June 11 to 13:  From Jamestown
  • Arrowhead National Wildlife Refuge
  • Horsehead Lake
  • Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  • Alkaline Lake

June 14:  Transfer and Birding on Way:
  • Turtle River State Park and More

June 15 and 16:  From Roseau, Minnesota
  • Lost River State Forest
  • Roseau Wildlife Management Area
  • Beltrami State Forest

June 17: Birding Back to Fargo and Flights Home in Late
Afternoon

Note:  Please contact us prior to booking your flight, or you may
end up paying additional lodging and transfer costs.
All bird photographs on this
page by Bill Schmoker.  
Check out his amazing bird
photographs at  
www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/
Trip Description:

Arrival June 11 or Prior:  
  • Fly (or drive) to Fargo and arrive by mid-morning on
    June 11 or the night before.  We would really like to
    start out by 10 AM.
  • (Note:  Additional lodging in Fargo can be booked for
    $53 (Super 8) to $115 (Holiday Inn Express) for those
    wishing to spend an early additional night in Fargo.))

June 11 to 13:  From Jamestown:  Arrowhead National
Wildlife Refuge, Horsehead Lake, Chase Lake National
Wildlife Refuge and Alkaline Lake
  • Centered in Jamestown , we will be visiting the Prairie
    Potholes region which holds some of the highest
    density of wetlands in the nation as well as remnant
    areas of tall grass prairie.   
  • After short drives to one or two of the various sites each
    day, we will bird and take short walks as we explore
    these areas.  Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge,
    Horsehead Lake, Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
    and  Alkaline Lake will give us great opportunities to
    see and hear the special birds of the area .
  • Several of the birds we hope to see include Sharp-
    tailed Grouse , Yellow Rail , Upland Sandpiper,
    Marbled Godwit, Piping Plover, Sedge Wren, Sprague's
    Pipit , Baird's Sparrow, LeConte's Sparrow, Nelson's
    Sharp-tailed Sparrow , Short-eared Owl and Chestnut-
    collared Longspur.  

June 14:  Transfer and Birding on Way:  Turtle River State
Park and More
  • On the morning of June 14, we will bird as we drive to
    Roseau, Minnesota.  This drive is about 250 miles and
    about 3 and 1/2 hours of drive time.  Roseau lies in the
    boreal forest region, so it is well worth the trip.
  • On the way to Roseau we will visit Turtle River State
    Park which includes upland and riparian deciduous
    forest.
  • Some of the species we will be looking for as we travel
    and bird along include Broad-winged Hawk , Black-
    billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested
    Flycatcher, and Scarlet Tanager  .

June 15 and 16:  Lost River State Forest, Roseau Wildlife
Management Area, Beltrami State Forest
  • Using Roseau, Minnesota as our base, we will spend
    two full days birding and exploring the  Lost River State
    Forest , Roseau Wildlife Management Area, and
    Beltrami Island State Forest.  
  • Offering a very good opportunity to see a number of
    new species, these areas will give us access to
    several key habitats, including conifer forest, deciduous
    forests, boreal forest, peat bog, river, willow and alder
    thickets, marshes and meadows.
  • Species of note include Spruce Grouse, Ruffed
    Grouse, Northern Hawk Owl, Great Gray Owl, Boreal
    Owl , Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed
    Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee , Alder Flycatcher,
    Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.  We will also have a chance
    to find more than 20 species of nesting warblers
    including Golden-winged, Cape May, Blackburnian,
    Pine, Bay-breasted , Connecticut and Mourning. Pine
    and Evening Grosbeak are also present.

On June 17: Birding Back to Fargo and Flights Home in Late
PM
  • On June 17, we will allow a time to bird as we drive
    back to Fargo.  
  • Flights should be planned for 4 PM or later.
  • Note:  Additional lodging in Fargo can be booked for
    $53 (Super 8) to $115 (Holiday Inn Express) for those
    wishing to spend an additional night in Fargo.
Trip Pricing:

$1,099 includes lodging for six nights June 11 to 16 and
birding over about seven days.  Transport by van is included.   
Bird Guiding and trip planning services are included.  
Breakfast is included with the lodging we have booked.   This
price is per person and assumes a shared room (with another
roommate or spouse).  
  • Single accommodations are available for an additional
    $300.
  • Nicer accommodations are available at the nearby
    Holiday Inn for 3 of the 6 nights in Jamestown for an
    additional $115 for a shared room and $180 for a
    single room (on top of the other single surcharge).

Not Included in Pricing:
  • Prices do not include flights to Fargo (currently about
    $250 to $350 from most parts of the United States).
  • The price of noon and evening meals are not included.  
    We estimate these thirteen meals will be another $110
    to $170 for seven lunches and six supper/dinners.  You
    will pay your actual costs and are free to spend more if
    you wish.  
  • Tips.

Note:  Please contact us prior to booking your flight, or you may
end up paying additional lodging and transfer costs.
John Drummond:  Trip Leader
  • John Drummond could be described as an avid bird watcher as
    he is approaching 6,800 bird species on his world bird list and
    has birded in 28 countries, covering 6 continents.
  • John has been a leader, co-leader or has advanced a number of
    international trips covering Australia, Bolivia, Jamaica, Japan, Sri
    Lanka, Thailand and Uganda.  He has also lead a number of trips
    for a wide variety of organizations throughout the United States.
  • Though he has birded around the world, he very much enjoys
    birding in the United States.
  • When birding with John, you will find that he is spotting constantly
    and finds birds through holes in thick vegetation which you may
    have missed. He is a handy resource on any birding trip.
  • John has been birding for nearly sixty years and has been
    planning and plotting bird trips to every corner of the globe during
    most of his adult life.
  • John has a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Southampton
    University, England, has extensive field experience on a number of
    bird studies, and has spoken to a number of Audubon and other
    ornithological groups.
Birding in North Dakota
       (and Minnesota) in the USA
For more information, contact
us at 1-888-203-7464 or by
email at info@PIBird.com.
Photo by Jeannie
Mitchell.