This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER has been coming to a birdfeeder on Grafton Road in Alexandria since December 13th, and was last reported on April 2nd. An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at Great Bay on March 28th, and there was an unconfirmed report of an adult GOLDEN EAGLE from Hanover, also on the 28th. A BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen at Great Boar’s Head in Hampton on April 1st. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen in East Kingston on April 2nd, and an ICELAND GULL was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 29th. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on Old Mill Road in Lee on March 30th, and 1 was seen on Storrs Hill in Lebanon on the 29th. A flock of 80 COMMON REDPOLLS was seen in Jefferson, a flock of 50 was seen in Barrington, and a flock a 30 was seen in Hancock, all during the past week. A male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was seen along the Colonel Whipple Trail at the Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson on March 31st. A SNOW GOOSE was found in fields near Robyn Avenue in Litchfield on March 21st, and was last reported on the 29th. There was an unconfirmed report of a CACKLING GOOSE on the Connecticut River in Westmoreland on March 30th. A SORA was reported from the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on March 31st. An AMERICAN COOT continues to be seen in Wolfeboro Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee and was last reported on March 30th, and 3 were seen in World End Pond in Salem, also on the 30th. A pair of GADWALL, and a pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS were seen at Horseshoe Pond in Concord during the past week. 4 RED-NECKED GREBES, a HORNED GREBE, and 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were seen on the Connecticut River in the Hanover area on April 1st. An AMERICAN WIGEON was seen in Charlestown on March 30, and small numbers of GREEN-WINGED TEAL and BUFFLEHEAD have been reported during the past week. 48 LESSER SCAUP were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 29th. RING-NECKED DUCKS, WOOD DUCKS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, HOODED MERGANSERS, and COMMON MERGANSERS continue to be seen in good numbers in open water areas. 13 FISH CROWS were reported from Horseshoe Pond in Concord on April 3rd, and several were reported from other locations during the past week, including the UNH Campus in Durham, on the Winnipesaukee River behind BJs in Tilton, and World End Pond in Salem. Single birds were reported from Penacook, and Effingham. A COMMON LOON was seen on Lake Opechee in Laconia on March 30th. A GREAT EGRET was reported from Rye on March 30th. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was reported from Penacook on March 31st. FOX SPARROWS are being reported from many locations, some with multiple birds including 8 being seen in one yard in Amherst. Numerous TREE SWALLOWS have been seen during the past week, with the first report of the season coming from Nashua on March 29th. There were several sightings of AMERICAN WOODCOCK, KILLDEER, and WILSON’S SNIPE, as well as a few AMERICAN KESTRELS, MERLINS, OSPREYS, and NORTHERN HARRIERS, all during the past week. 30 TURKEY VULTURES were seen soaring over the Connecticut River in the Hanover area on March 28th. A PINE WARBLER and a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER were reported from Merrimack on April 1st, and an EASTERN MEADOWLARK was seen in Rochester on April 3rd. An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen in Penacook on April 1st, and 1 was seen in Rochester on April 3rd. 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.