I Northern Great Plains 
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•Lewistown 
Ron Martin 
M arch weather was a continuation of 
one of the most difficult winters in 
recent memory. Sub-zero tempera- 
tures in the hrst half of the month finally gave 
way to a warming trend and some movement 
of birds. However, more blizzards and cold 
temperatures at the end of the month brought 
the fledgling migration to a standstill. Bismar- 
ck, North Dakota had the second highest 
snowfall on record, with over 257 cm (101 
inches!). Ice-out on some North Dakota lakes 
did not occur until late April. When the melt- 
ing hnally got underway in April, massive 
flooding covered much of the Dakotas. All 
but two North Dakota counties had flooding 
problems, with roads washed out and closed 
by high water nearly everywhere. The Red 
River at Fargo, North Dakota reached a new 
all-time crest, and the Missouri River at Bis- 
marck flooded some areas for the first time 
since Garrison Dam was built in the 1950s. 
Temperatures in April and May were also 
below average, and migration peaks were a 
full two weeks behind schedule during much 
of April. Leaf-out in much of the Region did 
not occur until late May. This, along with the 
cool temperatures, grounded large numbers 
of warblers late in the month. Despite the 
weather, there were some extremely early ap- 
pearances by a number of species. Two Glossy 
Ibis reports in North Dakota are potentially 
the hrst records for the state, and a possible 
second record for Great Black-backed Gull 
was reported from South Dakota. 
GEESE THROUGH FALCONS 
Six Greater White-fronted Geese were late in 
Pembina, ND 24 May (REM). A new high 
count for North Dakota, 658 Ross’s Geese 
were in Burleigh 9 Apr (HCT). Canvasbacks 
made a strong showing, with peaks of 2000 in 
Yankton, SD 7 Mar (RD) and 2500 in Burleigh, 
ND 18 Apr (HCT). A potential hrst for Mon- 
tana, a pair of Tufted Ducks was at Benton L., 
MT 6 May (p.a., SD). A Harlequin Duck in 
Brown, SD 20 Apr would, if accepted, furnish 
the 4th record for the state (p.a., CD). Casual 
in spring, a Surf Scoter was in Minnehaha, SD 
25 Apr (DC). Very rare in spring, 4 
Barrow’s Goldeneyes were in Brook- 
ings, SD 2 Apr (KJ). A high number 
for spring, 75 Hooded Mergansers 
were in Yankton, SD 7 Mar (RD). 
Also notable was a peak of 60 Red- 
breasted Mergansers in Yankton 28 
Mar (BH). A good peak of 1500 
Horned Grebes was at the Grand 
Forks Lagoons, ND 29 Apr (EEF). 
Unusually far w. was a Least Bit- 
tern in Adams, ND 27 May (p.a., DAG, CG). 
Nearly a month earlier than the previous ear- 
ly date, a Black-crowned Night-Heron was in 
Minnehaha, SD 1 Mar (p.a., TP). Two Glossy 
Ibis reports from North Dakota would, if ac- 
cepted, furnish the hrst records for the state. 
A single was reported in Dickey 13 Apr (p.a., 
JWH), and another was photographed in 
McLean 26 May (p.a., CB, MB). A peak of 60 
White-faced Ibis was noted 5 May at J. Clark 
Salyer N.W.R., ND (GAE). A possible 8th 
record for Montana, a Little Blue Heron was 
a Medicine Lake N.W.R. 29-30 May (p.a., BB, 
TN, JH). Also in Montana, a Green Heron 19 
May w. of Glasgow would provide about the 
15th record for the state (p.a., MH). 
A potential 7th record for South Dakota, a 
Mississippi Kite was in Minnehaha 26 May 
(p.a., TJ). The only Red-shouldered Hawk re- 
port was a single 24 Mar in Fargo, ND (DWR). 
A Broad-winged Hawk was early in Brookings, 
SD 25 Mar (KJ), and a new high count of 200 
was noted in early May n. of Bismarck, ND 
(BCo). A Ferruginous Hawk was unusually far 
e. in Cass, ND 18 May (KRC). Merlin pairs 
were noted in almost every small town and 
cemetery in the ne. quarter of North Dakota 
this spring, including two pairs in the same 
cemetery in Cando, Towner (REM, CDE). 
RAILS THROUGH GULLS 
About the 7th report for North Dakota, a 
Common Moorhen was in Dickey 21 May 
(p.a., PMK). A new high count for North 
Dakota, 150 Black-bellied Plovers were in 
Cass 18 May (KRC). A Snowy Plover was at 
Long Lake N.W.R., ND 2-6 May but did not 
remain (p.a., MJR); this is the 4th consecutive 
year that the species has been seen in the area. 
A Snowy Plover was in Hughes, SD 19-21 
May (p.a., KM, RDO); the 7th report for the 
state, this also represented the 3rd consecu- 
tive year for this species in South Dakota. A 
new high count for North Dakota, 2600 Less- 
er Yellowlegs were in Walsh 9 May (REM, 
CDE). Nearly a month earlier than the previ- 
ous early date, a Whimbrel was in Grand 
Forks, ND 2 Apr (p.a., EEF); there were two 
additional reports from North Dakota, and a 
single was in Yankton, SD 20 May (RD). A no- 
table flock of 50 Long-billed Curlews was in 
Custer, SD 9 Apr (MM). Rare in Montana, 
Ruddy Turnstones were at Westby in mid- 
May (TN) and at Freezeout L. 20 May (MS, , |i 
JN). Casual in spring. Western Sandpipers ii 
were in Stark, ND 1 May (p.a., REM, SDL) ;[ 
and in Sully, SD 9 May (p.a., RDO). A Baird’s j’ 
Sandpiper was early at Freezeout L., MT 28 
Mar (SDH). A Dunlin at Freezeout 11 Apr 
was 25 days early (MS). A new early record 
for South Dakota, a Dunlin was in Yankton 28 ' 
Mar (BH). Four Buff-breasted Sandpiper re- t 
ports totaling 122 individuals was above aver- i| 
age for North Dakota 20-27 May. American | 
Woodcocks in McHenry 10 Apr (GAE) and jj 
Griggs 21 May (REM, CDE) provided first I 
county records for North Dakota. ' 
The 20th report for North Dakota, a Little , j 
Gull was in Burleigh 17 Apr (p.a., HCT). Ac- 1 
cidental away from Garrison Dam in North ^ 
Dakota and a hrst for Cass, an Iceland Gull ;; 
was photographed at Fargo 18-20 Apr (p.a., | 
KRC, DWR). Glaucous Gulls made a strong ' 
showing in South Dakota. The species was re- ; 
ported from three counties 1 Mar- 17 Apr, | 
with a peak of 6 on 9 Apr in Sully (RDO). A ' 
potential 2nd record for South Dakota, a 
Great Black-backed Gull was in Pierre 19 
Mar-4 Apr (p.a., KM, RDO, TJ, DB). | 
DOVES THROUGH WARBLERS ! 
The 10th report for North Dakota, a White- j- 
winged Dove was photographed in Cass 1 May i- 
(p.a., JG, LG). A Barred Owl was unusual in || 
West Fargo, ND 7-8 Mar (KRC, DWR). A Red- i, 
shafted Flicker was unusually far e. 15 May in jr 
Bismarck, ND (CDE). Least Flycatchers jj 
peaked at 131 in Eddy, ND 20 May (REM, j 
CDE). About the 13th report for Montana, an i 
Eastern Phoebe was at Westby 3 May (p.a., 
TN). Accidental in Burleigh, a Common Raven 
was migrating over Bismarck, ND 11 Apr 
(DNS). A Rock Wren was near Kenmare, Ward, 
ND 12 May, where a few pairs nest at the nw. 
edge of their range in the state (RR). Thirty- 
two American Dipper nests were counted in 
Lawrence, SD 30-31 May, no doubt represent- 
ing almost the entire population of the Black 
Hills (DB). Casual in spring in South Dakota, a 
Varied Thrush was in Hughes 20 Apr (KM). A 
Sage Thrasher was e. of the species’ normal 
range in Ziebach, SD 7 May (SS). Sprague’s Pip- 
its returned to the w. half of North Dakota in 
good numbers again this spring. 
The 17th report for North Dakota, a Blue- 
winged Warbler was in Bismarck 12-16 May 
(p.a., MAG). A Brewster’s Warbler in West 
Fargo, ND 17 May furnished the 3rd report of 
this hybrid for the state (p.a., DWR, KRC, 
CDE). There were numerous highlights in the 
warbler migration in North Dakota (see also 
458 N 0 R T H A M E R i C A N B I R D S . 
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