This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013. An immature RED-HEADED WOODPECKER has been coming to a feeder in Alexandria since December 13th, and was last reported on the 31st. A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen again at the Portsmouth traffic circle with a flock of CANADA GEESE on December 29th, and relocated in North Mill Pond in Portsmouth on January 1st and 2nd. A male BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen on the Merrimack River in Manchester on December 30th, and one was seen off of Great Boar’s Head in Hampton on January 2nd. A female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen on Eel Pond in Rye on January 2nd. A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at Hampton Harbor on January 1st and 2nd. An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen in coastal Rye on December 25th. An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL, 3 ICELAND GULLS, a NORTHERN SHOVELER, and 68 LESSER SCAUP were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on January 1st. A RAZORBILL was seen in coastal Hampton on January 1st. A GADWALL was seen on the Merrimack River in Nashua on December 29th. 3 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen in Stratham on January 1st. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR, an AMERICAN PIPIT, 120 HORNED LARKS and a PEREGRINE FALCON were seen on River Road South in Walpole on December 30th. COMMON REDPOLL sightings during the past week included: 150 in Stratham on January 1st, 20 in Milton on the 1st, 15 in Newington on the 1st, 100 in Brookfield on December 30th, 35 in Pinkham Notch on December 29th, 100 in Wolfeboro on the 29th, and 10 in Richmond on the 29th. Several HOARY REDPOLLS were reported from Christmas Bird Counts. A PEREGRINE FALCON and a PIED-BILLED GREBE were reported from Nashua on January 2nd, and a MERLIN was seen in Nashua on December 31st. An over-wintering PINE WARBLER was seen in Newmarket on January 1st. A WINTER WREN was seen at the Milford Fish Hatchery on December 29th. 5 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS were seen in Lyme on December 31st. The annual Laconia Christmas Bird Count was held on December 29th, and tallied 63 species. Highlights included: a RING-NECKED DUCK, 12 GREATER SCAUP, 3 LESSER SCAUP, 1 LONG-TAILED DUCK, 6 BUFFLEHEADS, 1 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, 123 HOODED MERGANSERS, 410 COMMON MERGANSERS, 1 RED-THROATED LOON, 17 COMMON LOONS, 1 RED-NECKED GREBE, 7 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, 1 NORTHERN SHRIKE, 4 CAROLINA WRENS, 18 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 86 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, 21 SNOW BUNTINGS, 112 PINE GROSBEAKS, 7 PURPLE FINCHES, 369 COMMON REDPOLLS, and 2 HOARY REDPOLLS. The annual Sandwich Christmas Bird Count was held on December 30th, and tallied 43 species. Highlights included: a HOARY REDPOLL, 330 COMMON REDPOLLS, 8 PINE GROSBEAKS, 1 PINE SISKIN, 18 EVENING GROSBEAKS, 1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, 1 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, 1 WINTER WREN, 7 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 5 BALD EAGLES, 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES, and 1 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. The Grafton-Bristol Christmas Bird Count was held on December 31st, and tallied 41 species. Highlights included: 9 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 3 HOODED MERGANSERS, 7 COMMON MERGANSERS, 2 COMMON LOONS, 3 BALD EAGLES, 1 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER(listed earlier in this Rare Bird Alert), 1 NORTHERN SHRIKE, 1 CAROLINA WREN, 14 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 1 HERMIT THRUSH, 1 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, 1 BOHEMIAN WAXWING, 7 CEDAR WAXWINGS, 1 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, 1 NORTHERN CARDINAL, and 316 COMMON REDPOLLS. 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.