This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, March 8th, 2021.
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.
2 SHORT-EARED OWLS, possibly a pair, were first seen hunting over fields and marshes from Airport Road in Swanzey on February 21st. They have been seen several times since then and a third SHORT-EARED OWL joined them on March 6th. All 3 were last reported on March 7th. A NORTHERN HARRIER has been seen in the same area. Another SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in coastal Rye on March 6th, and 1 was seen in a field in Greenland on the 7th.
2 SNOWY OWLS were seen in coastal Hampton, and 1 was reported from a cornfield along Route 12A in Cornish, all on March 7th.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues to be seen in trees along fields on Old Concord Road in Henniker, and was last reported on March 7th.
A BLACK VULTURE was seen in Manchester on March 4th.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was reported from Bow on March 3rd.
2 THICK-BILLED MURRES were seen off of the coast in Rye on March 7th.
An ICELAND GULL was seen in Manchester on March 4th.
3 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES and a LESSER SCAUP were seen at Stark Landing on the Merrimack River in Manchester during the past week.
A CANVASBACK and 4 REDHEADS were seen at the south end of Great Bay on March 6th and 7th.
A flock of over 100 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was seen in New London on March 4th.
Recent PINE GROSBEAK sightings included 6 in Durham on March 5th, 8 in Exeter on the 2nd, and scattered reports of small numbers during the past week.
Recent WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS sightings included 11 in Newbury, and 4 in Swanzey, all on March 7th. Recent RED CROSSBILL sightings included 18 in Swanzey on March 7th, 6 in Rye on the 4th, 5 in New Castle on the 5th, and
14 in Keene on the 8th.
A HOARY REDPOLL was reported from Keene on March 3rd.
A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was seen in Sandown on March 4th.
2 PINE WARBLERS were reported from Epsom on March 8th, 1 was seen in Auburn on the 5th, and 1 was seen in Portsmouth on the 3rd.
An EASTERN PHOEBE continues at NH Audubon’s Abe Emerson Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Candia and was last reported on March 8th. Another 1 was seen in Hollis, also on the 8th.
Several AMERICAN WOODCOCK were reported from Rockingham County, a WILSON’S SNIPE was seen in Portsmouth, and a KILLDEER was seen at Great Bay, all during the past week.
An AMERICAN KESTREL and a MERLIN were reported from Keene during the past week.
Over-wintering species reported during the past week included; BLACKED-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, MERLIN, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, TURKEY VULTURE, NORTHERN FLICKER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, HERMIT THRUSH, GRAY CATBIRD, WINTER WREN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BROWN THRASHER, EASTERN TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, and FISH CROW.
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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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