This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, October 7th, 2014. A brown-plumaged BLUE GROSBEAK was seen at the Concord Community Gardens on Birch Street, off of Clinton Street, on October 5th and 6th. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen here on October 7th. A TRICOLORED HERON was seen in Bedford on October 7th, but it was not relocated. A male and a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD originally reported from Seabrook on September 29th were seen again at the coast on October 3rd. A CASPIAN TERN and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER were seen migrating along the coast on October 1st. 2 CASPIAN TERNS, a RAZORBILL, a WHIMBREL, 5 LAUGHING GULLS, and 141 GREAT BLUE HERONS were seen migrating along the coast on October 2nd. 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen off of the coast in Rye on October 1st. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Eel Pond in Rye on October 4th. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen and photographed at Bound Rock Park on Seabrook Beach on October 6th. A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen in Sandwich, and a TENNESSEE WARBLER was seen in Ashland, both on October 1st. There were numerous RUSTY BLACKBIRD sightings reported during the past week, including a flock of 30 seen at World End Pond in Salem, and a flock of 12 in Concord, all on October 6th. 18 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and 29 GREAT EGRETS were seen in Hampton Harbor on October 1st, and a GREAT EGRET was seen at World End Pond in Salem on October 6th. Several PIED-BILLED GREBES were reported during the past week from scattered locations. A flock of mixed SCOTER species was seen at Front Park on Lake Massabesic on October 1st. The flock size was estimated at over 150 birds and consisted of mainly BLACK SCOTERS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, with a few SURF SCOTERS. 12 BLACK SCOTERS were seen on Cherry Pond in Jefferson on October 2nd. A single WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was reported from Lake Sunapee on October 5th, and a single SURF SCOTER was seen on the Connecticut River near Hanover on the 1st. 118 WOOD DUCKS were reported from NH Audubon’s Thompson Refuge in Sandwich on September 30th. A RED-THROATED LOON was seen in Hampton Harbor on October 4th. A GREAT CORMORANT was reported from the coast on October 3rd, and 100 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were seen roosting at Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee on October 3rd. A few late-migrating RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS were seen visiting birdfeeders as late as October 2nd, and from as far north as Lyman. A GRAY JAY and 3 BOREAL CHICKADEES were reported from the Signal Ridge trail at Mount Carrigain in the White Mountains on October 3rd. At least 1 BOREAL CHICKADEE was seen on Wildcat A from the Nineteen Mile Brook trail on October 1st. 5 juvenile BALD EAGLES were seen together at the Pontook Reservoir in Dummer on October 6th. Fall season RAPTOR migration continues with migrating raptors being counted daily at hawk-watching sites. To date, the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory in Peterborough has counted over 12,500 raptors, the Carter Hill Observatory in Concord has counted over 5,700 raptors, and hawk-watchers on Little Round Top in Bristol have seen over 2,700 raptors. Of particular note was 8 PEREGRINE FALCONS seen from Carter Hill on September 29th. Be sure to visit these viewing sites this fall season to help out with the counts! Pack Monadnock and Carter Hill will be staffed by NH Audubon through the end of October. Although peak flights of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS have mainly passed, there are still many more raptors to be counted. This message is also available by phone recording: call (603) 224-9909. 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 ****************************************************************