This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, August 5th, 2009. 2 pairs of MISSISSIPPI KITES nested in Newmarket this spring and summer, near the same 2 sites where they nested in 2008. One site is near South Main Street west of the public school, and it appears that this nesting attempt has failed this year. 2 adults and a chick were reported on August 2nd from the other site, which is along Gonet Road, near where it loops back on itself. These birds are in residential areas and if you look for them please remember to respect property rights and individual privacy, and don't park illegally or block traffic. A MISSISSIPPI KITE was reported from Route 85 in Newfields on August 5th. A FORSTER'S TERN was seen in seen in Hampton Harbor for several days in a row and was last reported on August 1st. A MARBLED GODWIT and 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were reported from Hampton Harbor on July 30th. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT has been present in Hampton Harbor since last weekend and was last reported on August 3rd. 3 STILT SANDPIPERS were reported from the Little River Preserve in Hampton on August 1st, and 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were seen here on July 31st. A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen on Jenness Beach in Rye on July 31st. An UPLAND SANDPIPER was seen in Moore Fields along Route 155A in Durham on August 3rd. In addition to the sightings of less common species, shorebird migration is in full swing with about 20 species being reported from the coast during the past week including several WHIMBRELS, good numbers of SANDERLINGS, RUDDY TURNSTONES, and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. A birder on a whale watch out of Rye on August 3rd saw many birds including 25 NORTHERN GANNETS, a NORTHERN FULMAR, a CORY'S SHEARWATER, 50 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 15 SOOTY SHEARWATERS, 120 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, 30 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 4 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, a BLACK TERN, and an unidentified JAEGER species. Birders on a whale watch on August 2nd reported a LONG-TAILED JAEGER, 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS, 9 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 2,010 SOOTY SHEARWATERS, 1,030 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 102 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, and 14 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Birders on a boat-trip out to the TERN colony on the Isles of Shoals on August 1st, saw many birds including about 60 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, an ARCTIC TERN, and a BLACK GUILLEMOT. A first-summer YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen roosting on the north side of Island Path in Hampton for several days and was last reported on August 4th. 2 GREAT EGRETS were reported from a marsh on Thornton Ferry Road II in Amherst on August 3rd. An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen in Hampton Marsh on August 2nd. A YELLOW BILLED CUCKOO was seen next to the water tower alongside Route 101 in Hampton on August 4th. FISH CROWS continue to be reported from the Hampton Harbor area. A fledgling MERLIN was reported from Concord on August 2nd. 3 PURPLE MARTINS were seen in Hampton Harbor on July 31st, and several were reported from Funspot in Laconia where they are known to breed, on July 30th. A PIED-BILLED GREBE was reported from the Deer Hill Wildlife Management Area in Brentwood on July 30th. A WHIP-POOR-WILL was reported from Jefferson on July 31st. A CANADA WARBLER was reported from Durham on August 2nd. 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. **************************************************************** To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html ****************************************************************