Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report was prepared on Tuesday, August 28.

A rare dove and another rare hummingbird top our report this week.

Although it probably won’t go down as a confirmed sighting, it was most likely a WHITE-WINGED DOVE that spent four days visiting Lowell Fahrni’s feeder in Bismarck. The bird was a daily visitor from August 19-22, but there are no reported sightings since then. There has been at least one other sighting in Bismarck. That was in the fall of 2000. For more information on the most recent sighting, try Clark Talkington at ctalkington@bis.midco.net.

It was most likely a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD that Paulette Scherr saw near Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge on August 23. She says the bird, which she described as “an adult female selasphorus hummingbird” visited her yard for several hours, and she was able to take some pictures. You can reach her at 701-285-3341.

Jean Legge saw at least two mature GREEN HERONS while canoeing the Sheyenne River just north of Valley City on August 22. She saw the birds a number of times, as they moved just ahead of her canoe. Other sightings included abundant GREAT BLUE HERONS, three GREAT EGRETS and a probable COOPER’S HAWK. For details, contact Jean at 701-845-4762.

Corey Elllingson saw two adult and three juvenile GREEN HERONS on the Sheyenne River just north of Mercy Hospital in Valley City on August 26. One day earlier, Corey and his mother birded the Sheyenne National Grasslands, finding two OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS at Mirror Pool Wetland Management Area, and TENNESSEE WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and WILSON’S WARBLER in the Lisbon city park. Other sightings included seven COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, two adults and a juvenile RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, three RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, two PILEATED WOODPECKERS, 24 RED-EYED VIREOS, YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS and a fall male SCARLET TANAGER. Corey had good birding at Sleepy Hollow Park in Bismarck on August 23. He recorded newcomers BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER and MOURNING WARBLER, as well as WARBLING VIREO, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, WILSON’S WARBLER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and BALTIMORE ORIOLE. Upon arriving home that evening, Corey found a MERLIN in his backyard. For more information, contact Corey at tcellingson@juno.com.

Dennis Wiesenborn discovered an immature GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER at Trefoil Park in north Fargo on August 25. He counted nine species in an hour, with no single dominant species, although CANADA WARBLER was the most conspicuous species. Overall, Dennis said warblers were not numerous. Contact him at d.wiesenborn@ndsu.edu.

Patrick Beauzay said at least two NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS were still present at Rendezvous Park in West Fargo on August 22. He saw one adult catching and holding dragonflies, and flying back into the dogwood hedge with them. Pat added that an adult and fledgling BROWN THRASHER were also present. Contact him at 701-231-9491.

Rick Holbrook had a BALTIMORE ORIOLE at his feeders in Fargo on August 27. It was the first time one had visited his feeder. On August 25, the first fall RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD arrived. Contact Rick at fholbrook@cableone.net.

Wayne Easley saw three SANDHILL CRANES in Pierce County near the Sage Hill Bed and Breakfast in the Antelope Hills on August 25. Wayne says it’s the first time he has seen the species in Pierce County, other than large groups of migrating birds. He’s at easley57@yahoo.com.

David Lindee enjoyed a brief visit from a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in his yard at Van Hook near New Town over the weekend of August 25-26. You can reach Dave at lindeeandme@srt.com.

For your calendar: the public is welcome to attend a conference in Bloomington, Minnesota on October 12-14.
“Declining Species, Declining Habitat: Reversing the Trend” is sponsored by Audubon Minnesota. Details online at http://mn.audubon.org/.

That concludes this report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Birding Society. This report is normally updated each Tuesday. The Fish and Wildlife Service operates 62 National Wildlife Refuges and more than 1,100 Waterfowl Production Areas in North Dakota...offering some of the best birding opportunities in the state. Contact Refuge offices for more information about visiting. For phone numbers of individual Refuges, as well as additional information, go to the Fish and Wildlife Service web site at www.fws.gov. Click on the map at the bottom of the page, and click on North Dakota on the next map.

Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report was prepared on Tuesday, August 21.

Another barn owl and lots more warblers and shorebirds this week.

Jan Sailer saw a photo of a COMMON BARN OWL at the Adams County Fair in Hettinger early this month, and learned that the picture was taken just northeast of Hettinger on June 16 by 4-H member Liz Seamands. Liz got four or five shots of the owl, but it hasn’t been seen since. Last week, Kathy and Bob Scarlett reported a barn owl just west of Butte on August 11. For more information on the Hettinger sighting, which is likely an Adams County first, contact Jan Sailer at jngsailer@yahoo.com.

Mark Otnes and Keith Corliss birded the Sheyenne River Valley from north to south in Barnes County on August 17. They started out with CANADA WARBLER, MOURNING WARBLER, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. At Clausen Springs, they added another CANADA WARBLER and a couple more NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES. Between Clausen Springs and Kathryn, they recorded a PEREGRINE FALCON. At Little Yellowstone County Park in Ransom County, they saw a male BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, another CANADA WARBLER, and a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER. At a large slough near Finley, they saw a WHITE-FACED IBIS and about a dozen RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Mark reports EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES and empidonax flycatchers were abundant throughout Barnes County, RED-EYED VIREOS and WARBLING VIREOS were common, and they also had a couple of lingering YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS. He adds that RED-TAILED HAWKS and NORTHERN HARRIERS were abundant, as well. Contact Mark at 701-241-4194.

Dave Lambeth didn’t even have to leave his Grand Forks backyard to record 26 species on August 18. Highlights included three RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS; two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES; single WARBLING VIREO, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO; two TENNESSEE WARBLERS; two ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS; single WILSON’S WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, male INDIGO BUNTING; at least five BALTIMORE ORIOLES; and three PURPLE FINCHES. On August 20, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and a male WILSON’S WARBLER came in early to bathe. Dave visited a stormwater retention pond in the Grand Forks Greenway on August 18. He found KILLDEER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, more than 50 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, four SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 10 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, at least 75 LEAST SANDPIPERS, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and four STILT SANDPIPERS. Dave adds that the great majority of the shorebirds appeared to be juveniles. For more information, try davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.

Clark Talkington had good birding east and south of Bismarck on August 16. At or near Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, he saw a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, two AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 22 SORAS, and 666 AMERICAN AVOCETS. Clark counted 16 SWAINSON’S HAWKS southeast of McKenzie Slough; 13 male and one juvenile RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS, a LEAST TERN, ROCK WREN, and SEDGE WREN at MacLean Bottoms; WILLOW FLYCATCHER, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, and two NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Seeman Park in Linton; and BLUE GROSBEAK, LAZULI BUNTING, and two INDIGO BUNTINGS at or near the Beaver Bay Recreation Area. For more information, contact Clark at ctalkington@bis.midco.net.

Corey Ellingson found some warblers in Sleepy Hollow Park in Bismarck on August 20. They included season-firsts ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and WILSON’S WARBLER, as well as YELLOW WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, and CANADA WARBLER. Ron Martin joined Corey for some McLean County birding on August 19. They saw FERRUGINOUS HAWK south of Turtle Lake; two BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 14 WILLETS, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Lake Williams; EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Washburn; about 50 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, six RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES in three locations plus an additional three in McClusky; 27 YELLOW WARBLERS; 12 AMERICAN REDSTARTS; CANADA WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, three BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, and seven COMMON YELLOWTHROATS at Painted Woods Wildlife Management Area, 300 BOBOLINKS in a single flock close to the Wildlife Management Area; two more BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS in McClusky; another COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in Washburn; and four BALTIMORE ORIOLES in McClusky. For details, Corey is at tcellingson@juno.com.

Among the 2,000 or so shorebirds on cell one of the Minot lagoons on August 15, were five HUDSONIAN GODWITS and one BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. Ron Martin says the few migrants in Oak Park in Minot that day were BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, and WILSON’S WARBLER. For details, contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.

Howard Lien saw two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES and possibly a third near Lady of Grace Church in Minot on August 15. Sherry Leslie saw two of them on August 14. Her site was described as the alley between 6th and 7th Street on 16th Avenue SW in Minot. You can reach Howard at hlpromo@srt.com or Sherry at 701-725-4389.

The species is also being seen on the eastern side of the state. Linda and Joe Gregg found three EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in downtown Horace on August 20. Contact Linda or Joe at lgregg@wah.midco.net.

Mike Olson saw about five AMERICAN REDSTARTS at his home along the Missouri River north of Bismarck on August 19. He’s at 701-355-8545.

Bernice Houser has had a good variety of birds in her yard near New Town. Mid-August brought CHIPPING SPARROWS, CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS, BROWN THRASHER, GRAY CATBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKERS, MOURNING DOVES, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, AMERICAN FINCHES, and a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. You can reach Bernice at sanishnd@hotmail.com.

From Clifford, Nancy Drew says she hasn’t seen any crows for a couple of months. She has also noticed a shortage of swallows. Nancy usually sees a mix of thousands of barn, tree, and cliff swallows, but has only about 200 this year. Contact her at ncdrew@polarcomm.com.

For your long-range planning, Tyler Bell suggests that anyone searching for lark buntings should try Bowman County in early August next year. Specifically, he recommends the Little Missouri River about three miles west of Rhame Prairie. For more information, contact Tyler at belljt@si.edu.

That concludes this report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Birding Society. This report is normally updated each Tuesday. The Fish and Wildlife Service operates 62 National Wildlife Refuges and more than 1,100 Waterfowl Production Areas in North Dakota...offering some of the best birding opportunities in the state. Contact Refuge offices for more information about visiting. For phone numbers of individual Refuges, as well as additional information, go to the Fish and Wildlife Service web site at www.fws.gov. Click on the map at the bottom of the page, and click on North Dakota on the next map.

Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report was prepared on Tuesday, August 14.

Passerines and shorebirds are showing up in greater numbers, and there are some additional sightings of that rare hummer.

On August 9, Sherry Leslie and her husband saw the BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD first reported near Ross on August 5 by visiting birders Tyler Bell and Jane Kostenko. Dean Riemer and Corey Ellingson found the bird on August 8. Homeowner Barb Meiers reported on August 10 that she hadn’t seen the hummer since August 5, so you should check before heading for Ross. You can reach her at barbmeiers@hotmail.com.

Meanwhile, Tyler and Jane didn’t have many other bird highlights in their one-week trip to North Dakota. However, they did see three more EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in Minot on August 9. The most recent ones were just west of the intersection of 6th Street and 16th Avenue SW. Tyler says the three were making their growling call as well as their cooing song. For details, contact him at belljt@si.edu.

Ron Martin tracked down a good variety of birds on August 12. They included an adult COMMON LOON, a PRAIRIE FALCON and his first McHenry County CASPIAN TERN on Round Lake, a GREAT EGRET elsewhere in the county; two HUDSONIAN GODWITS at the Minot lagoons for a total of 23 shorebird species; three TENNESSEE WARBLERS and a CANADA WARBLER in Velva, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Oak Park in Minot, and a PURPLE FINCH flying over the Mouse River Farmers Union Camp. Ron counted 21 species of shorebirds at the lagoons on August 9. Highlights included BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, PIPING PLOVER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, plus AMERICAN BLACK DUCK that same day and also a GREAT EGRET on August 7. Ron was back at the lagoons on August 10, and added SOLITARY SANDPIPER, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, and his first juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER of the season, and also added a migrant ALDER FLYCATCHER at Oak Park. For more information, contact Ron at jrmartin@srt.com.

Kathy Scarlett heard a COMMON BARN OWL and her husband Bob had a brief look at the bird while the couple were cycling west of Butte on August 11. They are both familiar with the species from their visits to Cozumel. For details, contact Bob or Kathy at bobkat@btinet.net.

Dennis Wiesenborn reports a small warbler wave in north Fargo on August 11 and 12. He recorded two CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, two CANADA WARBLERS, WILSON’S WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and probable TENNESSEE WARBLER in or near his back yard. At Trefoil Park, he added singles of those species except the chestnut-sided. Dennis was pleased with the variety of species in this first early wave. Other species from the same area included PURPLE FINCH, at least two OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, RED-EYED VIREOS, YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, WARBLING VIREOS, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS with fledglings, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, EASTERN PHOEBE, and two COOPER’S HAWK fledglings. For more information, contact Dennis at d.wiesenborn@ndsu.edu.

Bob Anderson passes along a report from Alice Beauchman, who had nesting MERLINS in her Valley City back yard all summer. The two merlins showed up around April 20, and left in early August. Bob says Alice has good images of both adults and fledglings. Bob adds that he and Jean Legge saw the LITTLE BLUE HERON south of Dawson on August 9. He discovered the bird at that location on August 5. For details, call Bob at 605-695-1344.

Todd Larson says the TRUMPETER SWANS first seen earlier this summer near Larimore have returned after an absence of more than one month. Todd also reports a FERRUGINOUS HAWK near Williston and a PRAIRIE FALCON near Rugby during the first weekend of August. Contact Todd at i81.ou812@yahoo.com.

From Grand Forks, Dave Lambeth reported a lot of bird activity on August 12. He believes the cooler temperatures may have been responsible for the appearance of two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, DOWNY WOODPECKER, HAIRY WOODPECKER, several BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and CEDAR WAXWINGS, female RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, LEAST FLYCATCHER, EASTERN KINGBIRD, AMERICAN ROBINS, GRAY CATBIRDS, an immature TENNESSEE WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, several CHIPPING SPARROWS, three or four SONG SPARROWS, PINE SISKIN, HOUSE FINCH, several AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, two male and one immature or female BALTIMORE ORIOLES, immature BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, and HOUSE SPARROW. Dave adds that an August 11 trip to western Grand Forks County turned up two SANDHILL CRANES. For more information, contact him at davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.

Visiting the northeastern corner of North Dakota, Rick and Bonna Whitten-Stovall scored some interesting birds on August 12. The trails of the Gunlogson Nature Preserve near Cavalier served up ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. They also found a flock of more than 20 WOOD DUCKS on a pond. Moving on to the Pembina Gorge, Rick and Bonna added a PHILADELPHIA VIREO and perching BANK SWALLOWS and BARN SWALLOWS. For details, try whitstov@yahoo.com.

Rick Holbrook reported an adult COOPER’S HAWK sitting on top of one of his bird feeders in Fargo on August 11. He’s at fholbrook@cableone.net.

Marcia Kuma was surprised to see a hummingbird on her balcony in Dickinson on August 11. She didn’t have enough time for a full identification, but said the hummer was “all green.” You can reach her at lirien9@yahoo.com.

That concludes this report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Birding Society. This report is normally updated each Tuesday. The Fish and Wildlife Service operates 62 National Wildlife Refuges and more than 1,100 Waterfowl Production Areas in North Dakota...offering some of the best birding opportunities in the state. Contact Refuge offices for more information about visiting. For phone numbers of individual Refuges, as well as additional information, go to the Fish and Wildlife Service web site at www.fws.gov. Click on the map at the bottom of the page, and click on North Dakota on the next map.

Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North Dakota Birding Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report was prepared on Tuesday, August 7.

Hummers have grabbed the spotlight again, and one of them is very special.

On August 5, visiting birders Tyler Bell and Jane Kostenko learned from their host, Jane Meiers, that a strange hummingbird had been visiting her flower garden near Ross for a couple weeks. Just then, the bird showed up, and Tyler and Jane believe it’s a female BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD. The species is normally found in the central and southern Rockies and Great Basin mountains. Dave Lambeth came the following day to see the bird, and he agrees with the earlier identification. If you’re interested in looking for this hummer, go to Ross, go west one mile, turn south onto the township road until it bends to the right. Then turn left and continue about three miles. If you follow the road as it bends to the right, you will run into 1804. Turn around, and the driveway to the Meiers farm is on the right, and the garden is around the right side of the garage. Tyler and Jane have had other good sightings during their visit. Tyler saw a single EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Minot on August 2 and another the following day. Jane saw one and heard another on August 5. In Minot’s Oak Park on August 2, they recorded GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, EASTERN PHOEBE, and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. For details, it’s belljt@si.edu.

A possible RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD stopped at Gary Jochim’s place at Mandan on August 4. He says the bird was there off and on that day, stopping for a quick drink. Another visitor that day was a LAZULI BUNTING. For more information, or directions, call Gary at 701-663-9379.

Bob Anderson discovered a LITTLE BLUE HERON south of Dawson on August 5. Other sightings that day included a couple of RUDDY TURNSTONES on the west side of Horsehead Lake. For details, call Bob at 605-695–1344.

A visit to McKenzie Slough on August 3 revealed that the large flocks of shorebirds seen there one week earlier had departed. However, Mark Gonzalez and Dan, Emily, and Elena Svingen saw up to 14 species of shorebirds including two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, plus an adult PEREGRINE FALCON. On August 1, Mark heard a SPRAGUE’S PIPIT singing near the entrance to Hawktree Golf Course north of Bismarck. You can reach him at 701-250-4443, ext. 106.

Corey Ellingson and Linda Ellingson birded the Beaver Bay Recreation Area and other sites in Emmons County on August 4. They saw one male BLUE GROSBEAK in the campground and another just west of the intersection of highways 1804 and 13. Other sightings included two PEREGRINE FALCONS, seven BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS west of McKenzie, three BURROWING OWLS near McKenzie Slough, one or two BELL’S VIREOS, one female and two male LAZULI BUNTINGS, a male INDIGO BUNTING, and at least six ORCHARD ORIOLES in a mixed migrant flock. For more information, contact Corey at tcellingson@juno.com.

Keith Corliss and Dean Riemer have been trying to determine if NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS are nesting in West Fargo’s Rendezvous Park. Keith first saw two adult birds and an immature bird on August 5, and Dean watched an adult carry a large insect into a hedgerow. On the next day, they again watched the feeding behavior, but did not see the juvenile bird. Keith also saw four BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS west of the Fargo lagoons on August 5. Contact him at kcorliss@forumcomm.com.

Mark Otnes discovered a single BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER in a mostly dried-out field just north of the Valley City WMA on August 3. He also reported large numbers of PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, and KILLDEERS in the same area. South and east of Rogers, Mark added a fairly tame PRAIRIE FALCON, and saw a single RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD in Kathryn. Other sightings included a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, eight STILT SANDPIPERS, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, ORCHARD ORIOLES, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and AMERICAN BITTERN. For details, call Mark at 701-241-4194.

Linda Gregg saw a pair of YELLOW WARBLERS in her backyard at Horace on August 4. Contact her at lgregg@wah.midco.net.

Carl Stangeland found a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and several YELLOW WARBLERS in McElroy Park in Jamestown on August 4. He’s at carlcs@daktel.com.

The first “fall” visitors to Larry Igl’s feeders in Jamestown were a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and PINE SISKINS on August 3 and 4. He adds that the siskins were the first since spring. On August 3, Larry heard a couple of male DICKCISSELS singing near the Jamestown Airport and Jamestown High School. Call him at 701-253-5511.

Dave Lambeth started seeing PINE SISKINS at his feeders in Grand Forks about July 15, and noted that the numbers started increasing in late July and early August. He’s at davidlambeth58201@yahoo.com.

West of Gilby, Mike Jacobs says PINE SISKINS arrived there on August 5. He’s at MJacobs@gfherald.com.

A couple PINE SISKINS showed up at Charles Taft’s feeders on the west side of Minot on August 4. He continues to see a male and a female RED-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, but says they are irregular visitors. Contact Charles at cjtaft@mac.com.

Ron Martin saw two PRAIRIE FALCONS traveling together east of Velva in McHenry County on August 4. He recorded an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in Velva. On July 31, Ron saw a PEREGRINE FALCON at the Minot lagoons, and found a MERLIN at the same site on August 2. For details, try him at jrmartin@srt.com.

Howard Lien saw a female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at Painted Canyon near Medora on August 2. South of Medora, he added a flock of WILD TURKEYS. Contact Howard at hlpromo@srt.com.

That concludes this report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Birding Society. This report is normally updated each Tuesday. The Fish and Wildlife Service operates 62 National Wildlife Refuges and more than 1,100 Waterfowl Production Areas in North Dakota...offering some of the best birding opportunities in the state. Contact Refuge offices for more information about visiting. For phone numbers of individual Refuges, as well as additional information, go to the Fish and Wildlife Service web site at www.fws.gov. Click on the map at the bottom of the page, and click on North Dakota on the next map.