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South Dakota Birding"Hotspot"

Dakota Nature Park, Brookings

Open water ponds

Water is one of the big bird attractants at Dakota Nature Park. The main area of the park has four named ponds, each of which has extensive open water and are deep enough to support year-round fish populations. The four named ponds themselves don't have a lot of associated wetland habitat along the pond edges, but the ponds on the west side of the park certainly do.

A view of some of the unnamed ponds on the far western side of the park. On a mid-April day when many of the migrant waterfowl have moved on, they weren't exactly bustling with activity, but there were Great Egrets, Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks, American Coots, and other water birds here.

Dakota Nature Park - Open Water Ponds

Overview showing the four named ponds, as well as other ponds to west and north. Those on the west have trails winding through them as well, trails which also offer a look at the extensive grassy area just west of the park. Ponds on the north edge are starting to be developed, with homes placed around the shores of the ponds.

Dakota Nature Park - Open Water Ponds

 


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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl