This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, December 
19th, 2012.



A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE previously found in a small pond near the 
Portsmouth Hospital, was seen again at the Portsmouth traffic circle with a 
flock of CANADA GEESE on December 12th, and another GREATER WHITE-FRONTED 
GOOSE was seen with about 600 CANADA GEESE in the Suncook River off of 
School Street in Pembroke on December 13th, 16th, and 19th.



A HOARY REDPOLL was seen with a flock of 35 COMMON REDPOLLS in Keene on 
December 16th. COMMON REDPOLL SIGHTINGS during the past week included: 4 in 
Goffstown on December 17th, and 30 in Nashua on the 16th.



A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was reported from Derry on December 12th, and 1 was 
reported from Concord on the 16th.



A RED CROSSBILL was reported from Concord on December 16th.



PINE GROSBEAK sightings during the past week included 5 in Hooksett on 
December 17th, 14 in Epping on the 17th, 15 in Durham on the 16th, and 25 in 
Concord on the 4th.



100 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Plymouth, 25 were seen in Holderness, and 
14 were seen in Lyme, all on December 12th. A flock of over 100 CEDAR 
WAXWINGS was seen in Durham on December 16th.



2 ICELAND GULLS and a female NORTHERN SHOVELER were seen at the Derry 
Wastewater Treatment Plant on December 19th(permission required to bird 
here – check in at the front office).



An ICELAND GULL, 87 LESSER SCAUP, 2 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 2 RUDDY DUCKS, and 4 
GREEN-WINGED TEAL were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on 
December 12th.



5 NORTHERN PINTAILS were seen on Eel Pond in Rye on December 12th.



11 GADWALL were seen on Great Bay on December 14th.



2 AMERICAN WIGEON were seen in the Suncook River in Pittsfield on December 
19th.



34 RUDDY DUCKS and 4 LESSER SCAUP were seen at Beaver Lake in Derry on 
December 19th, 3 RUDDY DUCKS were seen on Jenness Pond in Northwood on 
the14th, and 1 was seen on Canobie Lake in Salem on the 18th.



57 HORNED GREBES were seen near Black Cat Island on Lake Winnipasaukee in 
Moultonborough on December 13th.



A CAROLINA WREN was reported from West Newbury on December 16th.



Up to 60 HORNED LARKS were reported from the farm fields located near Fitch’s 
Corner on North River Road in Milford several times during the past week.



The annual Seacoast Christmas Bird Count was held on December 15th, and 
tallied 115 species. Highlights included: 5 BRANT, 2 SNOW GEESE, 1 EURASIAN 
WIGEON, 49 AMERICAN WIGEON, 64 RUDDY DUCKS, 142 LESSER SCAUP, 1 BARROW' S 
GOLDENEYE, 8 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 1 NORTHERN SHOVELER, 4 GADWALLS, 49 PURPLE 
SANDPIPERS, 1 GLAUCOUS GULL, 1 ICELAND GULL, 5 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, 1 
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 43 RAZORBILLS, 2 BLACK GUILLEMOTS, 10 EASTERN 
SCREECH-OWLS, 1 GREAT HORNED OWL, 2 BARRED OWLS, 1 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 1 
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, 1 NORTHERN SHRIKE, 9 WINTER WRENS, 3 HERMIT 
THRUSHES, 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 4 FOX SPARROWS, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 
1 "OREGON" DARK-EYED JUNCO, 27 SNOW BUNTINGS, 26 PINE GROSBEAKS, 183 COMMON 
REDPOLLS,  21 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, 3 EASTERN 
TOWHEES, 1 MARSH WREN, 7 TURKEY VULTURES, 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, 1 AMERICAN 
WOODCOCK, and 37 AMERICAN PIPITS.



The annual Keene Christmas Bird Count was held on December 16th, and tallied 
61 species. Highlights included: 1 GRAY CATBIRD, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 1 
MERLIN, 1 BELTED KINGFISHER, 1 NORTHERN SHRIKE, 1 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, 2 
CHIPPING SPARROWS, 3 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 4 WINTER WRENS, 5 RING-NECKED 
DUCKS, 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 6 RED CROSSBILLS, 7 PINE GROSBEAKS, 9 EVENING 
GROSBEAKS, 266 COMMON REDPOLLS, 91 COMMON MERGANSERS, AND 8 COMMON LOONS.



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.