A new year brings fresh opportunities for birding. Many birders kick off the year by starting new bird lists, making even the first-of-year (FOY) Black-capped Chickadee a welcome and exciting sighting. Below are a few birding highlights to watch for in January.
- If the fishing boats are still running (e.g. Eastman’s Docks, Seabrook), an offshore trip can produce Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake, Dovekie, Common Murre, and an occasional puffin or Thick-billed Murre. These species are rare from shore and a boat trip is often required to see them.
- Razorbill and Black Guillemots are the most likely alcids to see on the ocean from shore. Scan from pullouts such as Pulpit Rocks and Seal Rocks in Rye, Rye Harbor State Park, Hampton Beach State Park, or Seabrook Beach. Great Island Common in New Castle is also a good spot for Razorbills.
- White-winged Gulls (Glaucous and Iceland) visit in the winter but are seldom reliable on any given day. Hampton Harbor and Rochester WTP (only open on weekdays) are the most likely places to find them.
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Horned Lark by Len Medlock. Look for winter visitors like Horned Larks and Snow Buntings along the coast in places like Hampton Beach State Park.
- Winter finches, such as Pine Siskins or Redpolls, can arrive in big flocks or not at all. Watch for them at feeders and stands of Birch trees with catkins.
- As rivers and lakes ice up, Bald Eagles gather at remaining open water on the major rivers, the largest lakes, and the coast. Great Bay is a winter hotspot for eagle watching, and eagles are regular along the Merrimack River from Concord to Nashua, as well as southern stretches of the Connecticut River, and the Lakes Region.
Discover what to watch every month on the Joy of Birding, the new online home of New Hampshire Bird Records. Learn about new places to bird, rare bird sightings, and level up on your birding skills. Visit: https://joyofbirding.nhaudubon.org/.