This summer road trip through Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota marked a milestone years in the making. We had visited Minnesota long before we became birdwatchers, and South Dakota was already part of our birding journey. This left Iowa and North Dakota as the final two states on our map. From prairie grasslands to quiet wetlands, this trip felt like both an ending and a beginning — a moment that closed one chapter while opening the door to the next.
Iowa Birding
Our first birding hotspot was Hitchcock Nature Center. We arrived around 10:00 a.m. and began birding the trails, tallying an impressive 21 species in just one hour. Highlights included Red‑headed Woodpecker, both White‑breasted and Red‑breasted Nuthatches, and a bright Nashville Warbler working the understory.
Two days later, we returned to Iowa and stopped at Snyder Bend Park, a quiet spot along the Missouri River where the cottonwoods held more migrants than we expected. The park had a stunning 20 Northern Flickers! Other great birds are the Eastern Bluebird and the Swainson’s Hawk.
Before leaving Iowa, we made a fun detour to Le Mars — home of Blue Bunny ice cream. The Wells Visitor Center was too tempting to pass up, so we stopped for cones and picked up a few souvenirs for family. It was the perfect light‑hearted ending to a day of birding.
South Dakota
This was our first visit to the eastern part of South Dakota, and our morning began at Dakota Nature Park — a beautiful mix of prairie grasslands, wetlands, and small connecting ponds. We tallied 16 species here, including new state birds such as Killdeer, Ring‑billed Gull, Hairy Woodpecker, Marsh Wren, and Cedar Waxwing. The gardens were alive with color, with at least ten butterfly species drifting through the flowers.
Our next stop was the Wilmot Welcome Center for a much‑needed break. The surrounding field and pond turned out to be a mini‑hotspot of their own, holding Wilson’s Snipe, Savannah Sparrows, and a singing Western Meadowlark.
Driving north on SD Highway 15 gave us our first experience with South Dakota’s 80‑mph speed limit. Seeing a minimum of 40 mph posted underneath felt a little surreal — especially on a quiet rural highway — but it certainly made the long, open stretch toward North Dakota fly by.
North Dakota
Southeast North Dakota isn’t known as the birdiest part of the state, but even so, we added 11 species to our North Dakota list — and with that, officially completed our U.S. map. We started by exploring 102nd Street Southeast near Rosholt, a quiet stretch of farm fields and ponds right along the state line. Here we found Franklin’s Gull and a soaring Swainson’s Hawk, both welcome additions for the day.
Our next stop was Hankinson, population 921. We didn’t expect much more than a quick break — so spotting a giant billboard of Cody Mauch, now an NFL player for our hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a fun surprise. In town, we added Wilson’s Snipe and Great Blue Heron to our North Dakota list.
We made one final stop in Fairmount, where Great Egret, Mallard, and Red‑tailed Hawk rounded out our species for the state.
North Dakota has a charming tradition for travelers finishing their 50 states: the visitor center in Fargo gives you a free “Saving the Best for Last” t‑shirt if North Dakota is your final stop. We’ll be back in 2026 to explore more of the state — this time without the pressure of completing a map.
Minnesota
During our time in Minnesota, we identified 32 species across just three stops. We began at Eli Lake, where Ring‑billed Gull, Double‑crested Cormorant, and Turkey Vulture were the first birds to greet us. From there, we continued to the Auto Tour Road in Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, driving five quiet miles through prairie, wetlands, and granite outcrops. This stretch added several new species to our trip list, including Pied‑billed Grebe, Belted Kingfisher, Sora, and White‑throated Sparrow.
Our final — and favorite — stop was Blue Mounds Quarry State Park, a prairie gem known for its dramatic 100‑foot Sioux quartzite cliffs and a resident herd of purebred bison. The views were stunning, the skies impossibly wide, and although the birding was quiet, we did add one more species: a lone American Kestrel flying above the cliffs.
With North Dakota and Iowa officially on our list, we’ve now visited all 50 states — though seven of them were long before we ever picked up binoculars. That just means there are still stories waiting for us out there. And with a cross‑country train trip on the horizon for 2026, our birding journey feels far from complete. If anything, it’s only getting more exciting.
Trip Summary
Iowa Birds: 30
South Dakota Birds: 31 SD Life Birds: 14
North Dakota Birds: 11
Minnesota Birds: 32
Trip Birds: 60 Life Birds: 0
Next Up: Belize & Costa Maya — tropical forests, Caribbean birding, and 15 unforgettable lifers.
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