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

2 or 3 SNOWY OWLS continued to be seen along the coast in Seabrook, Hampton, and Rye during the past week. A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in coastal Seabrook on February 22nd.

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

2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen from Rochester Neck Road flying over the Turnkey Landfill in Rochester during the past week.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at Chemung State Forest in Meredith on February 26th.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Eel Pond in Rye on February 23rd.

A GLAUCOUS GULL and an ICELAND GULL were seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester on February 26th, and an ICELAND GULL was seen on the Squamscott River at Swasey Parkway in Exeter on February 27th.

A THICK-BILLED MURRE was seen from Pulpit Rocks in Rye on February 24th, and a RAZORBILL and a BLACK GUILLEMOT were seen from there on the 25th.

A SNOW GOOSE was seen at Chapman’s Landing in Stratham on February 27th.

2 male BARROW’S GOLDENEYES were seen from Stark Landing on the Merrimack River in Manchester, a pair was seen on the Merrimack River in Concord, and a male was seen on the Ossipee River in Effingham, all on several days during the past week.

A pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on February 26th and 27th. A pair of GADWALLS was seen in Meadow Pond in Hampton on February 21st, and a NORTHERN PINTAIL was reported from Tullando Farm in Orford on February 26th.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen in Hampton Marsh on February 23rd.

A HOARY REDPOLL was seen with a flock of 25 COMMON REDPOLLS along Range Road in Sandwich on February 25th.

A flock of approximately 50 PINE SISKINS was seen along North Road in Shelburne on February 27th.

48 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen with 32 CEDAR WAXWINGS along North Road in Shelburne on February 27th. About 13 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen at the NH Audubon’s Thompson Sanctuary in North Sandwich on the 24th, and 6 were seen at Tenney Mountain in Plymouth on the 28th.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen at Pinnacle Lane in Walpole on February 27th.

9 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen along Reed Road in Colebrook on February 25th.

5 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported from Waterville Valley on February 26th.

A PINE GROSBEAK was reported from Cannon Mountain on February 21st.

9 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen at Great Boar’s Head in Hampton on February 28th.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen in Rye on February 26th, and a PINE WARBLER was seen in Portsmouth on the 25th. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was seen in Hampton on the 22nd, and 1 continued to be seen in Mont Vernon during the past week.

Small numbers of a few early returning migrants were reported during the past week, including WOOD DUCK, KILLDEER, FISH CROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, COMMON GRACKLE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and FOX SPARROW.

Over-wintering bird species that usually migrate south and that were reported during the past week included: TURKEY VULTURE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, WINTER WREN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, GRAY CATBIRD, BROWN THRASHER, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, FIELD SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SWAMP SPARROW, and CHIPPING 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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