A LONG-EARED OWL was photographed in Newton on April 7th.

2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen in cornfields along Amesbury Road in Contoocook on April 2nd, and presumably the same 2 were seen in nearby Elm Brook Recreation Area in Hopkinton on the 7th. 2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen at Reed’s Marsh WMA in Orford on April 6th, 1 was seen at Lackie Farm in Bath on the 3rd, 1 was seen along Plains Road in Monroe on the 6th, 1 was seen at Bedell Bridge State Park in Haverhill on the 3rd, and 1 was seen flying over Horne Street in Dover on the 5th.

23 BRANT were seen in Rye Harbor State Park during the past week, and a SNOW GOOSE was seen at Horseshoe Pond in Concord on April 6th.

A GADWALL and a PIED-BILLED GREBE were seen at Horseshoe Pond in Concord on April 7th.

At least 15 SNOWY EGRETS were seen along the coast during the past week.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen at NH Audubon’s Thompson Wildlife Sanctuary in Sandwich on April 5th and 6th, and 1 was seen on Lily Pond in Piermont on the 3rd.

2 PIPING PLOVERS was seen at Hampton Beach State Park on April 7th.

2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were seen in Seabrook Marsh on April 5th, and 1 was seen at Great Bay on the 7th.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and a GLAUCOUS GULL were seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester during the past week.

2 BLACK VULTURES were seen in Penacook, and 1 was seen in Lyndeborough, all during the past week.

2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS were seen in Keene on April 6th, and 1 was seen in Lyndeborough on the 7th.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen along Route 10 in Orford on April 6th.

A SNOW BUNTING was seen at Lily Pond in Gilford on April 2nd, and 1 was seen in Bethlehem on the 7th.

An AMERICAN PIPIT was seen in North Hampton on April 5th.

6 RED CROSSBILLS were seen in Langdon on April 5th, and a few more were reported from scattered locations. 3 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported from Mount Monadnock on the 6th.

There was an influx of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS during the past week, with high counts of 200 in Northwood, 50 in Durham, and 25 in Dover.

A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was reported from Durham on April 8th.

A CLIFF SWALLOW was seen in Swanzey on April 3rd.

A NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was seen in Swanzey on the 3rd, and 2 were seen in Durham on the 6th.

A BARN SWALLOW was seen in Durham on April 2nd, 1 was seen in Kingston on the 3rd, 3 were seen in Seabrook on the 5th, 1 was seen in Salem on the 5th, and 3 were seen in Lee on the 6th.

Additional lingering migrant (or early-returning) species reported during the past week included: MERLIN, TREE SWALLOW, EASTERN PHOEBE, HERMIT THRUSH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, MARSH WREN, GRAY CATBIRD, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, EASTERN TOWHEE, FOX SPARROW, FIELD SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW, PINE SISKIN, and FISH CROW.

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.

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Learn more about birds and birding in New Hampshire with New Hampshire Bird Records (read a free article in each issue). This quarterly publication is produced by NH Audubon thanks to the work of many volunteers. It is available for free in digital format to all NH Audubon members, and also by print for an additional fee.

Thanks very much and good birding.