This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, December 
21st, 2011.



A BARNACLE GOOSE discovered in Rollinsford on December 14th, was later 
relocated on Fresh Creek near Gulf Road in Dover. Since then, it has been 
reported from several locations on the 15th, 16th, and 18th, including 
Roberts Road in Rollinsford on a pond about ½-mile from Route 4, and in 
fields on Route 4 near General Sullivan Road. It is usually found among 
flocks of CANADA GEESE.



A SNOWY OWL was seen along Verney Road in Hancock on December 17th.



An adult CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen in the fields behind the Concord Post 
Office located on Loudon Road on December 18th and was seen again on the 
19th and 20th. The bird was in the northwest corner of the fields, feeding 
among grasses and also near a tall metal power line tower in the same area. 
It was in the company of an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and sometimes 2 SONG 
SPARROWS.



A NORTHERN SHRIKE was reported from Keene, and one was seen in Newington, 
both on December 18th.



6 RAZORBILLS, 7 BLACK GUILLEMOTS, 2 ICELAND GULLS, 14 BLACK-LEGGED 
KITTIWAKES and 3 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were seen along the coast on December 
15th.



Highlights of the coastal Christmas Bird Count held on December 17th 
included; a EURASIAN WIGEON, 2 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES, 5 REDHEADS, a NORTHERN 
SHOVELER, 2 GADWALLS, 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 160 AMERICAN COOTS, a 
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, a GLAUCOUS GULL, a WILSON'S SNIPE, 2 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS, 
5 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 4 EASTERN SCREECH-OWLS, a YELLOW-BELLIED 
SAPSUCKER, 4 AMERICAN PIPITS, a NORTHERN PARULA, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE, a RUSTY 
BLACKBIRD, 2 DICKCISSELS, and 3 PINE SISKINS.



2 RED CROSSBILLS were seen in the road near the dam at Upper Kimball Pond in 
Chatham on December 21st.



A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and several EVENING GROSBEAKS were reported from 
Peterborough on December 17th, and a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was reported 
from Keene on the 18th.



15 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen with a flock of over 150 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS 
in fields along North River Road in Milford, and a single RUSTY BLACKBIRD 
was reported from Hollis, all on December 17th.



A FOX SPARROW was seen on Christian Hill in Amherst on December 17th.



2 RED-NECKED GREBES were seen on Lake Winnisquam off of Lower Bay Road in 
Sanbornton on December 18th, 1 was seen on Lake Nubanusit in Hancock on the 
17th, and 2 were seen on Pleasant Lake in New London on the 17th.



61 HORNED GREBES were seen on Lake Winnipesaukee in Moultonborough on 
December 19th.



2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, and 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen on Spofford 
Lake in Chesterfield on December 18th, 3 BUFFLEHEAD were seen on Jenness 
Lake in Northwood on the 20th, and a male WOOD DUCK was seen on the Nashua 
River at Mine Falls Park on December 19th.



4 COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen on Lower Suncook Lake in Barnstead on December 
20th, and 3 were seen on the Merrimack River in Manchester on the 19th.



A late-migrating RUDDY TURNSTONE was seen at Concord Point in Rye, and a 
late-migrating KILLDEER was reported from Laconia, both on December 18th.



5 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen at Chickering Farm in Westmoreland on December 
17th.



A PEREGRINE FALCON has been seen regularly in Concord during the past week, 
2 were seen in Nashua on the 18th, and one was reported from Lake Waukewan 
on the 19th.



A late-migrating TURKEY VULTURE was seen in Concord on December 19th, and 
one was seen in Bennington on the 17th.



A late-migrating BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was seen along Great Bay Road 
in Greenland on December 20th.



A late-migrating COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was seen in Westmoreland on the 18th, 
and one was seen in Newington on the 18th.



13 PURPLE FINCHES were seen at a birdfeeder in Warner on December 21st, and 
a flock of 80 PINE SISKINS was reported from Webster on the 15th.



There have been several reports of WINTER WRENS, CAROLINA WRENS, HERMIT 
THRUSHES, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, and NORTHERN FLICKERS during the past 
week.



This message is also available by phone recording: call (603) 224-9909 and 
press 2 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 e-mail at: 
[log in to unmask] Please put either "bird sighting" or "Rare Bird 
Alert" in the subject line and be sure to include your mailing address and 
phone number. The RBA is also available on-line at the New Hampshire Audubon 
web site, www.nhaudubon.org



Thanks very much and good birding.