South Dakota Birding Festival
Locations around Pickstown, Lake Andes and
Wagner, SD
(605) 487-7603
The South Dakota Birding Festival @ Fort Randall has all the makings of a weekend event that holds something for everyone interested in birds found in or passing through the great lakes region of South Dakota. The area boasts at least 322 species of birds of which 164 are breeding species. Experts also tell us that in May there will still be many migratory birds in the area.
Grab your binoculars and make plans to attend the
6th Annual
May 20-22, 2016
With birding you never know what you might find. The highlight of a previous festival was a Western grebe paired with a Clark’s grebe. Clark’s grebes are rare enough, but to see one paired with a Western grebe was very special. A Least bittern was seen and photographed when it “froze” mere feet from the edge of the walking path. Many more were heard out in the marsh. Adult Bald eagles and their eaglets were photographed and observed at their nest. Other birds observed included: Green heron, Hooded merganser, Stilt sandpiper, Whip-poor-wil, Eastern screech owl, Red-bellied woodpecker, Great-crested flycatcher, Bell’s vireo, Palm warbler, American redstart, Ovenbird, Rose-breasted grosbeak and Bobolink.
Registration is in Pickstown, SD.
Field trips into Karl Mundt National Wildlife Refuge.
A note of interest: This is the only time that the Karl Mundt National Wildlife Refuge
located by the Fort Randall Dam is open to the public.
Activities include:
- Bird banding
- Bird identification
- Birding experts & speakers
- Guided field trips
-
Children's activities
What to wear:
Wear comfortable, waterproof/resistant boots or shoes.
Also, it is recommended that birders dress in layers, as the
weather can vary from cold (mornings) to much warmer (midday.)
To print the following documents,
you will need to first download them.
(First, click on the image to open a full size document,
then select the box with arrow from the menu and select download)
2016 Schedule of Events - South Dakota Birding Festival
2016 Registration Form - South Dakota Birding Festival
2011-2015 Bird Checklist - South Dakota Birding Festival
South Dakota Birding Festival - Map
2015 Birder's Business Directory - South Dakota Birding Festival
For more information about the South Dakota Birding Festival, call 605-487-7603
