2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen in cornfields along Amesbury Road in Contoocook on March 31st and April 1st, 1 was seen at Lackie Farm in Bath on the 30th, 3 were seen at Moore Fields along Route 155A in Durham on the 25th, and 2 were seen flying over fields along Merrimack Road in Amherst on the 25th.

A female KING EIDER continues to be seen in coastal Rye, often from Route 1A pullouts south of Odiorne Point State Park. It was last reported on March 27th.

2 REDHEADS were seen at Jackson’s Landing in Durham on March 25th.

A flock of 8 NORTHERN SHOVELERS was seen at Chaffee Wildlife Sanctuary/Post Pond in Lyme on March 31st.

A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen on a few days last week at Chapman’s Landing in Stratham.

A RUDDY DUCK was seen at Adam’s Point in Durham on March 26th.

2 RED-THROATED LOONS were seen at Adam’s Point in Durham on March 29th.

A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was seen at Hoit Road Marsh in Concord on March 31st.

8 GREAT EGRETS were seen in Seabrook, and a SNOWY EGRET was seen in Hampton, all on March 31st.

A PIPING PLOVER was seen at Hampton Beach State Park on March 27th.

A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen in coastal Rye on March 27th and 28th.

A MARSH WREN was reported from Turtle Pond in Concord on April 1st.

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

10 BLACK VULTURES were seen in Hanover, 3 were seen in East Kingston, 2 were seen in Penacook, 2 were seen in Walpole, 2 were seen in Claremont, 1 was seen in Newmarket, 1 was seen in Kensington, all during the past week.

A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen in Errol on March 25th.

An AMERICAN GOSHAWK was reported from Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge on March 30th.

OSPREYS were seen in Nashua, Exeter, Newmarket, and Portsmouth, all during the past week.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen along Route 16 in Errol on March 28th.

8 RED CROSSBILLS were reported from Exeter on March 25th, 4 RED CROSSBILLS and 3 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported from Pack Monadnock during the past week.

2 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Hampton Beach State Park on March 30th, and 1 was seen at the Lebanon Airport on the 27th.

An overwintering PALM WARBLER was seen at the Hampton Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 28th.

There was an unconfirmed report of a possible pair of BARN OWLS seen by the Goose Pond Equestrian Center in Canaan. It was described as: “Very tawny owl flew across road then landed in a tree got a bino look thru the windshield but flew off before could get out. White face w/ brown edging, tawny and white in wings – Flew into woods but showed up later w/a friend same coloring but headed back into woods”.

Additional lingering migrant (or early-returning) species reported during the past week included: NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, TURKEY VULTURE, NORTHERN FLICKER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, TREE SWALLOW, EASTERN PHOEBE, HERMIT THRUSH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GRAY CATBIRD, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PINE WARBLER, EASTERN TOWHEE, BROWN THRASHER, FOX SPARROW, FIELD SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SWAMP 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.