This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 18th, 
2012.



A VARIED THRUSH has been seen coming to a bird-feeding area at a private 
residence in Dover, and was reported on January 14th, 15th, and 16th.



A female WESTERN TANAGER, first posted on December 14th, continues to be 
seen visiting a birdfeeder at a private residence in Campton and was 
reported as recently as January 18th, but the residents prefer not to have 
visitors at this time.



A PACIFIC LOON was seen at the inlet to Hampton Harbor on January 14th. It 
was seen feeding among a group of loons that included at least 12 COMMON 
LOONS and 3 RED-THROATED LOONS, but has not been reported again since then.



A BARNACLE GOOSE discovered in Rollinsford on December 14th, has been seen 
regularly in fields along Roberts Road, and was last reported on January 
7th. It has also been seen along Route 4, Silver Street, General Sullivan 
Way, and Foundry Street. It has always been found among flocks of CANADA 
GEESE. A SNOW GOOSE was seen near the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne 
Point State Park in Rye on January 18th.



A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen on the Merrimack River in Manchester near 
250 Commercial Street on January 16th and was reported again on the 17th, 
and 18th. A GREAT CORMORANT was also seen in the same area on the 17th.



2 SNOWY OWLS have repeatedly been seen along the coast in Hampton and 
Seabrook during the past week. They have been seen in Hampton Beach State 
Park, Great Boar's Head, Hampton Marsh, Seabrook Beach, and Seabrook Marsh. 
They are most often seen perched on buildings or on the ground.



A dark-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen east side of the Pondicherry 
National Wildlife Refuge along Route 115A in Jefferson on January 17th, and 
a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Hampton on January 15th.



8 BALD EAGLES were seen near the intersection of Hill Road and Ferry Road in 
Dummer on January 13th.



A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at Green Wagon Farm in Keene on January 11th.



A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen along Landing Road in Hampton on January 
17th.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen north of Battery Seaman between the main 
path and the coastal path, near a group of red cedars, at Odiorne Point 
State Park in Rye on January 16th. Also seen in the same area were a BROWN 
THRASHER and 8 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS.



A DICKCISSEL was seen with a flock of HOUSE SPARROWS in Nashua at a private 
residence on January 18th and one was seen with HOUSE SPARROW flock at the 
intersection of Wallis Road and Park Ridge Road in Rye on January 15th.



5 RAZORBILLS, an ICELAND GULL, and a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE were seen along 
the coast on January 14th. 2 ICELAND GULLS were seen in Farmington on 
January 13th.



A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen in Portsmouth Harbor on January 15th, one was seen 
in Hampton Harbor on the 15th, and one was reported from Farmington earlier 
in the week.



A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, a GLAUCOUS GULL, at least 9 ICELAND GULLS, and a 
RUSTY BLACKBIRD were seen at the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant and 
the Trails at Pickering Ponds on January 17th. The treatment plant is gated 
and the hours of operation are 7:30-3:00 on weekdays. If you visit, please 
check in at the office and be out of the plant by 2:45 so that plant 
personnel do not have to ask birders to leave. Do not drive on the dikes and 
do not block the road. The Trails at Pickering Ponds, located east of the 
plant, are not gated, and are always open during daylight hours.



A CAPE MAY WARBLER was found at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on January 
14th, and was reported again on the 15th, 16th, and 18th. It was located 
along the shore path that goes north from the Seacoast Science Center beyond 
the Settler's Monument and towards the beach, and was seen feeding on brine 
flies in the wrack.



An OVENBIRD that was discovered in the yard of private residence in Derry on 
December 31st, continues to be seen and was last reported on January 16th.



2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported from the Willard Pond Wildlife 
Sanctuary in Antrim on January 11th.



32 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Chickering Farm in Westmoreland, and a RUSTY 
BLACKBIRD was seen at a private residence in Westmoreland, all on January 
16th.



22 HORNED LARKS were seen at a dairy farm in Stratham on January 15th.



A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was seen at a birdfeeder in Concord on January 12th and 
13th.



A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen visiting a birdfeeder in Lyme Center on 
January 14th, 15th, and 18th.



A CHIPPING SPARROW was seen in Pittsfield on January 14th, and one was seen 
in Newmarket on the 15th.



A pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS and an AMERICAN COOT were seen several times in 
Field's Grove in Nashua during the past week and were last reported on 
January 18th. A NORTHERN PINTAIL was seen in South Mill Pond in Portsmouth 
on January 15th.



There were several reports of BARRED OWLS, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, BALD 
EAGLES, TURKEY VULTURES, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, CAROLINA WRENS, PINE 
SISKINS, and PURPLE FINCHES, 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.