Chase Lake NWR
Prairie Pothole Region
NWRNational Wildlife RefugeVerified coordinatesVerify access before travel
Top birds: American White Pelican, Wilson's Phalarope, Marbled Godwit
Free
Wilson's Phalarope
Shorebirds · Fall migration in September
Where and when to find this bird right now
Live observation
Recent North Dakota reports from eBird, closest first from Bismarck (the default starting point).
These are observations submitted by birders and are not reviewed before appearing here. A report is not a guarantee that the bird is still present, and a sighting location is not a public-access guarantee.
Recent sightings data from eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Sunrise, sunset and sun direction: calculated on your device from the location's coordinates.
Migration timeline
Seasonal expectationS = spring window, F = fall window, B = both. Built from the month arrays in the source record; months are January (1) through December (12).
J
F
M
S
S
J
F
F
F
O
N
D
- Spring window
- late April to May
- Fall window
- July to early September
Arrives, busiest, leaves
Seasonal expectationPlanning guidance from this bird's own seasonal record, not a live report. Weather shifts these dates every year, sometimes by a fortnight.
Spring passage late April to May
- First arrivals: AprilThe earliest month the guide's records place this bird in North Dakota heading north. Early birds can be thin on the ground.
- Last of them: MayThe last month in the records for this spring passage. After it, birds have usually moved on.
Fall passage July to early September
- First arrivals: JulyThe earliest month the guide's records place this bird in North Dakota heading south. Early birds can be thin on the ground.
- Middle of the window: AugustThe middle of the recorded window, when numbers are usually highest. The records do not count birds, so treat this as the likeliest stretch rather than a measured peak.
- Last of them: SeptemberThe last month in the records for this fall passage. After it, birds have usually moved on.
Migration journey reference: National Audubon Society Bird Migration Explorer.
See the full journey on Audubon's Bird Migration ExplorerCorridor and staging areas
Saline pothole chain of the Drift Prairie
- Chase Lake NWR
- Long Lake NWR
- Saline potholes
Photography tip
Photogenic spinning feeding behavior; get low at pothole edges for close-ups of birds whirling in shallow water.
Wildlife safeguards
Never approach nests, nesting islands, roosts, leks, or sensitive colonies. Keep to established routes and observation points, respect closures and posted signs, and back off at the first sign that a bird is reacting to you.
Public places linked to this bird (2)
Live observationEach place shows what eBird received within 10 miles of that place in the last 7 days. Reports further away belong to somewhere else and are never counted here.
Long Lake NWR
Prairie Pothole Region
NWRNational Wildlife RefugePeak windowVerified coordinates
Top birds: Sandhill Crane, Whooping Crane, American Avocet, Wilson's Phalarope
Free; special-use permit may be needed for temporary blinds
Recent sightings data from eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Recent eBird reports
Recent sightings data from eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Open eBird North Dakota
Historical photo evidence (0)
These are historical public posts collected as supporting evidence. They are not live sightings and do not guarantee current bird activity. Photos are not copied here — each entry links to the original post.
No collected posts reference this species. That is a gap in the evidence set, not evidence of absence.