This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, March 28th, 2022.

2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen in fields along Plains Road in Monroe on March 27th, and 1 was seen flying over Durham on the 22nd.

A SNOWY OWL was seen in coastal Seabrook, 1 was seen in coastal Hampton, and 1 was seen in coastal Rye, all during the past week.

Be sure to stay at a distance from any owls and do not disturb them: https://www.nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/snowy-owl-viewing-ethics

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen flying over Lyndeborough on March 26th.

3 BLACK VULTURES were seen flying over Lyndeborough on March 21st, and 1 was seen flying over Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington on the 27th.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen along Arboretum Drive near the entrance to Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington on March 25th.

An ICELAND GULL was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 26th. There is NO VEHICLE ACCESS. If you visit, please park in the spaces located in front of the gate and walk in. Another ICELAND GULL was seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on March 27th.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester on March 25th.

2 RAZORBILLS were seen along the coast in Rye on March 27th.

4 RED-THROATED LOONS were seen off of Hilton Park in Dover on March 23rd.

A CACKLING GOOSE and a SNOW GOOSE were seen in Conway on March 23rd.

6 SNOW GEESE were seen in fields along Route 135 in Lancaster on March 27th.

A BRANT was seen along the coast on March 25th.

A male BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen at Huntress Bridge on the Ossipee River in Freedom on March 23rd, and a female was seen at Eel Pond in Rye on the 26th.

2 male BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 27th, and 2 males were seen at the Connecticut River boat ramp in Westmoreland on March 26th.

A RUDDY DUCK was seen at Elm Brook Park in Hopkinton, and 1 was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant, both on several days during the past week. There is NO VEHICLE ACCESS at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant. If you visit, please park in the spaces located in front of the gate and walk in.

A PIED-BILLED GREBE was seen at the Contoocook Marsh Conservation Complex in Rindge on March 22nd, 1 was seen at the Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area in Brentwood on the 21st, and 2 were seen at Eel Pond in Rye on the 26th.

A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was seen on Horseshoe Pond in Concord, and 1 was seen on Lake Massabesic in Manchester, both on March 26th.

At least 4 GREAT EGRETS were seen along the coast during the past week, 2 were seen flying over Bedford on the 25th, and 1 was seen along West Portsmouth Street in Concord on the 24th.

2 PIPING PLOVERS were seen at Hampton Beach on March 26th.

A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen in the marsh along Route 1A just south of Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on March 26th.

2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen on Mount Kearsarge on March 27th, and a RED CROSSBILL was seen in Hebron on March 26th.

6 EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen at Silver Lake in Nelson on March 25th.

A COMMON REDPOLL was seen along Reed Road in Colebrook on March 27th.

3 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen along the coast in Hampton on March 23rd.

A MARSH WREN was seen at the Hinsdale Setbacks on the Connecticut River on March 26th.

A PINE WARBLER was photographed in Brookline on March 26th.

2 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were seen near Little Cherry Pond in Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson on March 26th.

Small numbers of a few early returning migrants were reported during the past week, including: GADWALL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, LESSER SCAUP, OSPREY, TREE SWALLOW, EASTERN PHOEBE, KILLDEER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, WILSON’S SNIPE, FISH CROW, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, FIELD SPARROW, and FOX SPARROW.

Over-wintering bird species that usually migrate south and that were reported during the past week included: RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, MERLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, WINTER WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, GRAY CATBIRD, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, and SAVANNAH SPARROW.

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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