Things You'll Need:
- Bird watching guide
- Spotting scope or binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Notebook
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Step 1
Begin birding in South Dakota at the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Columbia, South Dakota, and find 266 bird species waiting. The Refuge was named one of the Top Fifteen Birding Sites in North America by Wild Bird magazine, and it is a Globally Important Bird Area. The Refuge preserves an internationally important wetland area. The fall migration of waterfowl is a great time to visit and see hundreds of thousands of birds.
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Step 2
Enjoy birding at the Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge, a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds. The refuge provides critical wintering habitat for Trumpeter Swans. The refuge includes thousands of acres of sandhill habitat, marshes and prairie. In addition to migrating Canada Geese, other species in the Refuge include Sandhill Cranes, shorebirds and Neo tropical migrants.
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Step 3
Travel to the Black Hills area and discover some birding hot spots that have been overlooked in the past. The Boles, Roby and Redbird Canyons are home to a recently discovered population of Virginia Warblers. Bird species in this area include Plumbeous Vireo, Violet-green Swallow, White-throated Swift, Townsend's Solitaire, Say's Phoebe, Brewer's Blackbirds and even Ovenbirds.
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Step 4
Find the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge Complex and its display of birds during the spring and fall migrations. Bird watching during the summer months focuses on the Eared Grebes, Black Terns and Franklin's Gulls.
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Step 5
Print out the maps, guides, checklists and directions before starting. This article's resource list provides you with more detailed and up-to-date information. Birding changes according to the season so check the resources list several times before deciding on the best birding hot spots.
