2003 Schedule

Daily Activities | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27

Daily Activities

Kayaking
Take a calm water kayaking tour of 12 acres Sweetwater Lake, located in the refuge. Kayaks, life jackets and a brief introduction to calm water kayaking and safety are available before you take to the lake. Participants must be 10 years or older. Anyone 15 and under must be accompanied on trip by legal guardian. Cost will be $2.00 per person and the kayaks will be available to each individual for a set period of time. 10am- 8pm Friday and Saturday

Hot Air Balloon Rides
Take a ride up in the tethered hot air balloon and get a “birds eye view” of Sullys Hill National Game Preserve. Inquire and get your tickets at the Sullys Hill Wildlife Refuge Society Concessions and Souvenir Stand. Cost for rides is $5/person. Age 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Rides are weather permitting. Early morning rides are more dependable due to calmer winds.
Friday and Saturday 7am-10am, 5pm-9pm
Sunday 7am-1pm

Thursday, July 24

6-9pm Kellys Slough NWR Birdwatching Tour and WHSRN Dedication
Last year’s participants observed 52 species of birds, including 13 species of shorebirds. There is a possibility of seeing greater prairie chickens as well.

This year the event will include a dedication ceremony commemorating Kellys Slough NWR as a site of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). The ceremony will begin at 5:30 pm. The birding tour will begin at 6:15 pm and end at approximately 9:00 pm.

Transportation will be provided for this event. Registered participants will meet at the main parking area at Kellys Slough NWR. The parking area is located approximately eight miles west and three miles north of Grand Forks, ND. A sign on U.S. Highway 2 directs visitors to the main parking area. Pre-registration required.

Daily Activities | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27

Friday, July 25

7-9am Sullys Hill Early Morning Bird Walk
Get a chance to see Hooded Mergansers, American Redstarts, Clay-Colored Sparrows, and more on a guided walk through the woods at Sullys Hill NGP. The walk covers a distance of 1.5 to 2.5 miles and is led by Ron Martin of the ND Birding Society. Pre-registration is required.

9:30-10:30am Birding by Ear
You can hear the bird but just can't find it, even with the most expensive of hi-tech binoculars. Learn birding by ear and your problem is solved. This workshop will discuss the basics of birding by ear for songbirds, and the reasons bird vocalizations. Learn how to use the various CD-ROM resources that are available to better your birding experiences. Dr. Dave Lambeth, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of ND, will present this workshop. Pre-registration required.

11:00-12:00am Beautiful Butterflies
Come join Paulette Scherr from Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge for a presentation and nature hike to explore various butterflies and their habitats. Preregistration is required. The lecture will begin at the Wildlife Workshop located at Sullys Hill NGP. The walk will begin immediately following the lecture. It will cover a distance of up to 1.5 miles so bring good hiking shoes and plenty of water to drink. Preregistration is required.

Lunch Break

1:00-2:00pm Shorebirds of the Prairie Potholes
North Dakota hosts hundreds of thousands of breeding and migrating shorebirds each year. This presentation will provide an ecological and identification overview of the 30 or so species which pass through our area. Presented by Dan Svingen, Grassland Biologist of Dakota Prairie Grasslands. Preregistration is required.

2:30-3:30pm Discover Digiscoping: Capturing Birds With Digital Cameras and Spotting Scopes.
Enhance your birding enjoyment! Learn how to combine digital images take through a spotting scope to create beautiful “up close and personal” photographs of birds. If you aren’t hooked on birding yet, you will be after watching this spectacular “Powerpoint Presentation” hosted by Dr. Dave Lambeth, Professor of Biochemistry at UND and Founder of the Grand Cities Bird Club. Preregistration is required.

4:00-5:00pm Everglades of the Prairie
Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge is often referred to as the "Everglades of the Prairie." Find out why when Will Meeks, a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, presents a discussion about the Colonial Water-birds of the area. Preregistration is required.

5:00-6:30pm Bison Burger Cookout
Enjoy a good ol' fashioned cookout with all the fixens. Sponsored by the Sullys Hill Wildlife Refuge Society. Fee required.

7:00-8:00pm Amphitheater Program- "Cowboy Logic Live" by Ryan Taylor
Join columnist, rancher, and State Senator Ryan Taylor for this entertaining and motivational program. The humor keeps crowds laughing and smiling, the Will Rogers style fancy rope spinning makes them sit up and take notice, and the sage philosophy has them thinking all the way home. Join us for this complimentary performance. Open to everyone.

8:00-9:30pm Evening Sullys Hill Hay Ride
Hop on board for an evening open air hayride tour and catch a glimpse of some of the spectacular wildlife of Sullys Hill. Preregistration required.

Daily Activities | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27

Saturday, July 26

6-9:30am Lake Alice NWR Tour
Join Wildlife Biologist Mark Fisher and President of the North Dakota Birding Society, Ron Martin on a tour of Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge. Although most of the roads on the Refuge are flooded, the opportunity to view shorebirds is incredible. This is an off-trail walking tour. Bring lots of water and a good pair of hiking boots. Transportation will be provided from Devils Lake. Preregistration is required.

10:00-11:00am Top Birding Sites of ND
Ron Martin, President of the North Dakota Birding Society will identify and discuss the top birding areas in ND with and emphasis on public lands. The best areas to bird to build a state bird list and where to find the ND specialties will also be discussed. Ron is the State Breeding Bird Survey Coordinator, Chair of the ND Bird Records Committee and Co-Author of the upcoming Birder’s Guide to ND. Preregistration is required.

11:30am- 12:30pm Nest & Egg Identification
This program will provide and introduction to the various types of bird nests in the region, from the simple scrape nests of shore birds to the more elaborate and massive nests of eagles. Learn how to identify bird nests and eggs based on the nest shape and placement, as well as egg size, shape and color. Museum specimens of nests and eggs from some local bird species will be available for demonstration and viewing. Presented by Jessica Gregory, Graduate Student at UND. Her M.S. research involves bird use of wetland habitat in an agricultural landscape. Preregistration is required.

11:30am- 12:30pm Waterfowl Banding
Join Will Meeks, Wildlife Biologist, to learn about some of the important data that has been retrieved from waterfowl banding efforts. Preregistration required.

Lunch Break

1:30-2:30pm Live Eagle/Owl Presentation
See a live bald eagle up close and personal while learning about eagles and other raptors during this educational and entertaining program. Presented by Greg Brooks and Destiny (the Bald Eagle). Open to everyone.

3:00-4:00pm Mammals of North Dakota
Learn about some of the lesser known and more secretive mammals of the Sullys Hill area, some of which “go bump in the night”. Specimens from the UND collection will be available for viewing. Presented by Bob Seabloom, Professor Emeritus of Biology, University of North Dakota. Preregistration is required.

3:00-4:00pm Edible Wild Plants Workshop
Botany like you have never tasted it before! Learn about different edible plants found in the wild. It will feature a slide presentation, specimens and some tasty samples. Led by Patsy Crook, Project Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Preregistration required.

4:30-5:30pm MAPS & BBS
Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survival) MAPS and Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) programs as well as other citizen science types of projects encourage more active participation in bird conservation. Join Laura Hubers, wildlife biologist from Waubay NWR and learn how you can become involved. Preregistration is required.

4:30-5:30pm Hawk Eyes
Join Mike Jacobs of the Grand Forks Herald and Dakota Adventures as he offers tips on identifying raptors. A life long birder, Jacobs is editor of the Grand Forks Herald and writes the weekly column about birds. Pre-registration is required.

Dinner Break

7:00-8:00pm Amphitheater Program- North Dakota Troubadour Chuck Suchy
Sullys Hill welcomes Chuck Suchy to our amphitheater for a very special performance. Chuck Suchy is a North Dakota native who has been performing since he was very young. Chuck' songs are sensitive and honest portrayals of contemporary American farm life from an insider's point of view. His music and stories speak to everyone-urban and rural-because laughter, love, gain, and loss are common human property. Please join us for this complimentary performance. Open to everyone.

8:00-9:30pm Evening Sullys Hill Hay Ride
Hop on board for an evening open air hayride tour and catch a glimpse of some of the spectacular wildlife of Sullys Hill. Preregistration required.

8:00-9:30pm Sullys Hill Evening Bird Walk

Daily Activities | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27

Sunday, July 27

6:00-8:30am Mist Netting/Banding Field Workshop
Ever wonder what it would be like to hold a bird in your hand? You’ll get a chance as well as learn about the intricacies and importance of bird banding at this workshop. “Ringing” is a centuries old method of marking birds to determine where they go and what habitats they need during their life cycles. Join Laura Hubers, wildlife biologist from Waubay NWR, in a hands-on demonstration of bird banding and using mist nets to capture songbirds. Learn methods of identification, aging, sexing, and body condition as well as proper use of mist nets and extraction methods. Be prepared for ticks, mosquitoes, and wet vegetation. Preregistration is required.

9:00-10:00am Seabirds of the Pacific Coast
Join Wildlife Biologist Mark Fisher to learn about a few birds you won’t find in North Dakota. Mark worked on the Pacific Coast for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and his knowledge and enthusiasm for these birds is contagious.
Preregistration is required.

10:30-11:30pm Wildflower Identification
Take a wildflower treasure hunt (photos only) through Sullys Hill National Game Preserve. This presentation provides an excellent opportunity to learn about and identify wildflowers in the Northern Great Plains. Presented by Wildlife Biologist Marty Egeland. Pre-registration required.

Daily Activities | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27