This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, June 29th, 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.

5 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were seen on Lunging Island, one of the Isles Shoals, on June 25th, and there was an unconfirmed sighting of a BLACK SKIMMER from coastal Rye on the 28th.
Up to 3 LEAST BITTERNS continue to be seen at the Cranberry Ponds located behind the Price Chopper in West Lebanon and were last reported on June 28th. 2 LEAST BITTERNS were reported from World End Pond in Salem on the 26th.
A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was reported from Back Bay in Wolfeboro on June 28th.
MISSISSIPPI KITES continued to be reported from Madbury Road in Durham and from various locations in Newmarket, Stratham, and Greenland, all during the past week. They have been successfully nesting in several of these towns for a number of years.
A few pairs of PIPING PLOVERS and LEAST TERNS are nesting at Hampton Beach State Park. Please tread carefully and respect these nesting and foraging birds. Young PIPING PLOVERS leave the nest right after hatching, are tiny and difficult to see, and can be easily injured or killed by an errant footstep, beach ball, or Frisbee.
A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen in Rochester on June 25th, 2 COMMON SNIPE were seen in Pittsburg on the 24th, and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen in Brookline on the 29th.
A nesting pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continues to be seen at Bear Brook State Park and was last reported on June 28th. At least 1 chick was present on the 28th.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen at Lake Francis State Park in Pittsburg on June 24th. This is far north for this species.
11 RED CROSSBILLS were reported from Pillsbury State Park, 7 were reported from Pack Monadnock, and a few smaller numbers were reported from Antrim, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Hancock, Penacook, Freedom, Effingham, Brookline, and Allenstown, all during the past week.
4 HORNED LARKS were seen at Pease International Tradeport on June 23rd.
2 FOX SPARROWS were reported from the Webster-Jackson Trail in Crawford Notch in the White Mountains on June 25th, and 1 was seen in Dixville on the 28th.
6 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen in Orford on June 25th.
61 PURPLE MARTINS were seen from Cross Beach Road in Seabrook on June 23rd.
—

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.
Subscribe to New Hampshire Bird Records – learn more about birds and birding in New Hampshire (read a free article in each issue). This quarterly publication is produced by NH Audubon thanks to the work of many volunteers.