This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, May 4th, 2020.
During the Corona virus outbreak NH Audubon encourages you to enjoy birding safely; please follow travel and social distance recommendations from state and federal authorities.
Join NH Audubon’s Birdathon Challenge on Saturday May 9th – fun for everyone!
http://www.nhaudubon.org/calendar/birdathon-2020/
A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen at the Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area in Brentwood on May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
There was an unconfirmed report of a WORM-EATING WARBLER in New Boston on May 3rd. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was discovered along North River Road near Burley Farm in Epping on October 5th, and was last reported on May 2nd. To look for the bird, locate the SELT trailhead north of Burley Farm on North River Road and walk the trail east to a mixed-age forest overlooking a large wetland. Listen for a dry-rattle. A pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continues to be seen at Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown and was last reported on May 3rd. Another RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen along Meloon Road in Greenland on May 4th.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was reported from the Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area in Brentwood on May 3rd.
A BLACK VULTURE was reported from Hudson on May 1st.
A TRICOLORED HERON continued being reported from several locations in coastal Rye during the past week and was last seen on April 30th.
A flock of 18 GLOSSY IBIS were reported from coastal Hampton on April 29th.
2 AMERICAN BITTERNS were reported from Moultonborough on May 3rd, and 1 was reported from the Lyme Village Marsh on April 30th.
A SNOW GOOSE was seen again in coastal Rye, on April 28th.
A male BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen near the dam on the Androscoggin River in Errol on May 3rd.
5 GADWALL were seen in coastal Hampton on May 3rd, and 1 was seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester on the 1st.
6 BLACK SCOTERS were seen on Lake Sunapee on May 1st.
4 HORNED GREBES were seen on Pawtuckaway Lake in Nottingham on April 28th, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was seen on Lake Sunapee on May 1st.
A CASPIAN TERN was seen flying over Powderhouse Pond in Exeter on May 2nd, and a COMMON TERN was seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on May 4th.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen on the Connecticut River near the Kilowatt South Park on May 1st.
An ICELAND GULL was seen along the coast in Hampton on April 30th, and 1 was seen near Pickering Ponds in Rochester on the 29th.
16 BONAPARTE’S GULLS, 8 RING-BILLED GULLS, 70 HERRING GULLS, and 24 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen on Lake Sunapee on May 1st. A BONAPARTE’S GULL was seen on Pequawket Pond in Conway, also on May 1st.
A SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, a LEAST SANDPIPER, a few GREATER YELLOWLEGS, a few SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, and a few SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, were reported from the expected locations during the past week.
A pair of MERLINS was reported from Blossom Hill Cemetery in Concord on April 29th.
Northbound migrating hawks were reported in high numbers on May 3rd. Highlights included 80 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and 76 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS seen in Portsmouth, 96 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS seen in Boscawen, and 79 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS seen in Pittsfield.
2 EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILLS were heard at the Karner Blue Easement in Concord on May 3rd, and 1 was heard on Federal Hill Road in Milford on April 30th.
A flock of about 30 AMERICAN PIPITS was reported from Hillcrest Cemetery in Milan on May 4th.
2 HORNED LARKS were seen near the Concord Airport, and 2 were seen at the Pease International Tradeport, both on May 3rd.
4 RED CROSSBILLS were reported from Hancock on May 3rd, 1 was reported from Antrim on May 2nd, and 1 was reported from Stoddard on April 29th.
An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen in Pittsfield on April 29th,
There was a big push of northbound migrant birds during the past week.
Species reported included: RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, CHIMNEY SWIFT, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, LEAST FLYCATCHER, EASTERN KINGBIRD, HOUSE WREN, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, WOOD THRUSH, VEERY, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, NASHVILLE WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, YELLOW WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, PRAIRIE WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, ORCHARD ORIOLE, BOBOLINK, GRAY CATBIRD, INDIGO BUNTING, VESPER SPARROW, and LINCOLN’S SPARROW.
New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert is sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank.
This message is also available by phone recording: call (603) 224-9909 and press 4 as directed or ask to be transferred. If you have seen any interesting birds recently, you can leave a message at the end of the recording or send your sightings to the RBA via email. Please put either “bird sighting” or “Rare Bird Alert” in the subject line and be sure to include your mailing address and phone number.
Thanks very much and good birding.
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