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.