This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, May 23rd, 2022.

A WESTERN GREBE was seen from Pulpit Rocks in Rye on May 23rd, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was seen from there on the 20th.

A female KING EIDER (why isn’t that a “QUEEN” EIDER?) was seen from Pulpit Rocks in Rye on May 22nd and 23rd.

A SUMMER TANAGER was seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on May 17th, and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen there on the 21st and 22nd.

A HOODED WARBLER was seen at the Kelley-Drake Conservation Area in New Hampton on May 20th.

2 MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen in Newmarket on May 21st.

2 BLACK VULTURES were seen in Goffstown, 1 was seen in Newmarket, and 1was seen in Lyndeborough, all on May 22nd.

2 CASPIAN TERNS were seen from Rye Harbor State Park on May 19th, 1 was seen at Lake Umbagog NWR in Errol on the 19th, and 1 was seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester on the 20th.

2 BLACK TERNS and 10 ARCTIC TERNS were seen at White & Seavey Islands in the Isles of Shoals on May 21st. A FORSTER’S TERN was seen from an Isles of Shoals cruise on May 21st. 2 COMMON TERNS were seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on May 18th.

A SOOTY SHEARWATER was seen from the Isles of Shoals on May 20th.

Birders on a boat cruise to Jeffrey’s Ledge on May 20th recorded 19 bird species in NH waters. Highlights included: 32 RED PHALAROPES, 356 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 2 NORTHERN FULMARS, 2 ATLANTIC PUFFINS, 14 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, 2 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, a BARN SWALLOW, a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, a MAGNOLIA WARBLER, and a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER.

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were reported on multiple days during the past week with at least 3 seen at the Isles of Shoals (where they are breeding), and up to 5 seen along the coast.

A DUNLIN was seen in fields along Route 135 in Monroe, 6 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were seen at Lower Meadows in Charlestown, and 2 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were seen at the Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Swanzey, all on May 21st.

4 RAZORBILLS were seen from the Isles of Shoals on May 17th, and 1 was seen from Hampton Beach on the 19th.

A LEAST BITTERN was reported from World End Pond in Salem on May 21st.

A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen in Hampton Marsh, a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen at Airport Road in Swanzey, and a GREEN HERON was seen at the Fort Hill WMA in Stratford, all on May 20th.

A pair of SANDHILL CRANES was seen foraging with a young crane in Monroe on May 21st.

15 BRANT were seen migrating along the coast on May 21st.

A few GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were reported during the last week at the Concord Airport, at Woodmont Orchard in Hollis, at the Hinsdale Raceway, at the Pease International Tradeport in Newington, at the Cemetery Fields in Amherst, and at the Manchester Landfill.

2 FOX SPARROWS were seen in the White Mountains on May 21st.

There were multiple reports of PHILADELPHIA VIREO, and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER during the past week.

A PURPLE MARTIN was seen in Cornish on May 17th.

2 BICKNELL’S THRUSHES were seen in Dixville on May 22nd.

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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