I guess for me the criteria for an enjoyable birding location are remoteness, uniqueness, and diversity. I also prefer an area with relatively light birding coverage as you can then explore and make your own discoveries.
My favorite Minnesota area (although I dont make it up there much anymore) is Roseau County. Its remote, diverse, and good birding the year around. My favorite local and time is the Highway 310 bog in the winter. On a good day virtually all of the boreal species can be found there. My favorite area close to home (a 2-hour driving radius) is roughly from Rothsay WMA south to Hartford Beach State Park (South Dakota), then west through the Bitter Lake/Waubay Lake area, then northwest to the Sand Lake/Hecla area, then finally east-northeast back to Rothsay. If I had to pick an area to live in the tri-state area based solely on birding criteria it would be Pierre, South Dakota. The birding is outstanding the year around. The avian biomass in winter is incredible consisting of clouds of longspurs and horned larks, raptors of all sorts all over the place, huge concentrations of waterfowl, and all sorts of odd gulls drifting around. The cedar draws hold northern saw-whet and long-eared owls, along with waxwings, robins, and solitaires. In migration things only get better with all kinds of odd vagrants showing up to supplement a large cast of regular species. In the summer there is plenty of diversity with discoveries to be made. Birders Ricky Olson and Kenny Miller see 260 to 270 species every year within a 60-mile radius of Pierre. So, thats my dream pick Pierre, South Dakota. Mark Otnes Fargo ND 701-241-4194 [email protected] > >_______________________________________________ >mou-net mailing list >[email protected] >http://cbs.umn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mou-net
