A good spot for grasslands birds is Kelly’s Pasture, a small prairie area west of Grand Forks. To get there start at the underpass of I-29, go west on Highway 2 for 5.7 miles, and turn left (south). Drive 4.0 miles and pull over to the right. There should be parallel fence rows (several yards apart) running to the west. Park and walk between the fence lines. Watch in this grassy area for Sedge Wren and Grasshopper, Le Conte’s, and Clay-colored Sparrows. After about 6.0 mile the fences will stop at a large grassy field. To your left (south) there should be a small stockpond surrounded by reeds. Check the edges for Marsh and Sedge Wrens and Le Conte’s Sparrow. Be careful at all times not to cross any fence lines on the left (south) side of the trail, because all are posted.
After checking the stockpond, walk north across the open field, watching for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Upland Sandpiper, Western Meadowlark, Grasshopper and Clay-colored Sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspur. At dawn check any rises in the field for dancing grouse. During late summer and early fall look for Sprague’s Pipit. This species is rare here but occasionally passes through after breeding. At the north end of this field is a large stock pen. This marks the end of the area which can be walked.
Return to your car, drive 1.0 mile south, and turn left (east). For the next few miles, check all of the grassy/brushy fields for Sharp-tailed Grouse and Gray Partridge. The partridge may be seen almost anywhere, but the grouse is restricted to a few overgrown fields. Some fields have sunflowers, which may attract a number of winter birds (basically goldfinches, siskins, redpolls, and Northern Shrike).
There are several great spots near Grand Forks. The best is Kelly’s Slough. To get to it proceed to the underpass of I-29, go west on Highway 2 for 7.8 miles, and turn right (north). After 3.3 miles stop on the hill overlooking the slough.
This is a fantastic place for migrant waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds. Some of the migrants include Common (occasional) and Red-throated (accidental) Loons; Red-necked (uncommon), Horned, Eared, and Western Grebes; American White Pelican; Double-crested Cormorant; Great Egret (rare); Whistling Swan; Canada, Greater White-fronted, and Snow Geese; Common, Red-breasted (rare), and Hooded (rare) Mergansers; White-winged Scoter (rare); Redhead; Canvasback; Ring-necked Duck; Lesser and Greater (rare) Scaup; Common Goldeneye; Bufflehead; Oldsquaw (rare); Mallard; American Black Duck (rare); Gadwall; American Wigeon; Common Pintail; Green-winged and Blue-winged Teals; Northern Shoveler; Wood Duck; Semipalmated, Black-bellied, and Lesser Golden Plovers; Ruddy Turnstone; Common Snipe; Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs; Solitary, Pectoral, White-rumped, Baird’s, Least, Stilt, and Semipalmated Sandpipers; Dunlin; Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers; Hudsonian Godwit; Sanderling; Northern Phalarope; and Herring (uncommon) and Bonaparte’s (rare) Gulls.