This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, February 
22nd, 2012.



2 SNOWY OWLS are being seen along the coast in Hampton and Seabrook. They 
have been seen in Hampton Beach State Park, Great Boar's Head, Hampton 
Marsh, and Seabrook Beach. They are most often seen perched on buildings or 
on the ground.



A DICKCISSEL was reported from a feeder on Green Street in Exeter on the 
9th, and again on the 16th.



A BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen from Great Boars Head in Hampton, and there 
was an unconfirmed sighting of one at Sewalls Falls in Concord, both on 
February 18th.



A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, at least 1 GLAUCOUS GULL, and at least 5 ICELAND 
GULLS were seen at the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant during the past 
week. 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 GLAUCOUS GULL has been seen irregularly in the Hampton Harbor area, mainly 
on the Seabrook side, and was last reported on February 18th.



An ICELAND GULL, an AMERICAN WIGEON, a NORTHERN PINTAIL, and 17 LESSER SCAUP 
were reported from the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on February 19th, 
and an AMERICAN WIGEON was seen on the Merrimack River in Boscawen on 
February 19th.



BOHEMIAN WAXWING sightings during the past week included: a flock of 160 on 
Union Street in Gorham on February 18th, a flock of 45 near the McDonald's 
restaurant in Gorham on the 18th, a flock of 64 seen along Gore Road in 
Lancaster on the 17th, a flock of 26 seen along Route 116 in Whitefield on 
the 17th, a flock of 25 seen behind the Errol Motel in Errol on the 16th, a 
flock of 32 seen near the Post Office in Bethlehem on the 20th, and a lone 
individual seen off of Thompson Road in North Conway on the 22nd.



5 RED CROSSBILLS were seen in the Mount Attitash parking lot in Bartlett, 
and several WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, EVENING GROSBEAKS and PURPLE FINCHES 
were seen on Chickwolnepy Road in Milan, all on February 16th.



A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, and 2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen on the 
Mud Pond trail on February 18th, and several WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and a 
WINTER WREN were reported from Cherry Pond on February 17th, all at the 
Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson.



2 GRAY JAYS were seen in Errol on February 18th.



A flock of 24 SNOW BUNTINGS was seen at Kelley's Farm in Milan on February 
16th.



A CAPE MAY WARBLER that was found at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on 
January 14th, has been continuously seen since then, and was last reported 
on February 20th. It is usually seen near the shore path that goes north 
from the Seacoast Science Center, beyond the Settler's Monument and towards 
the beach, and is often seen feeding on brine flies in the wrack.



An OVENBIRD that was discovered in the yard of a private residence in Derry 
on December 31st, continues to be seen and was last reported on February 
18th.



A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Concord on February 19th, a MERLIN was 
reported from Manchester on the 21st, and a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS was 
seen on Wednesday Hill Road in Lee on February 16th.



A COMMON LOON was seen on the Androscoggin River in Berlin on February 18th.



Numerous TURKEY VULTURES were reported during the past week, including a 
group of up to 30 in Nashua on the 20th.



3 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were reported from Newfields on February 21st.



A HERMIT THRUSH was reported from North Conway on February 22nd, and one was 
seen in Barrington on the 18th.



There were a few reports of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, CAROLINA WREN, 
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and COMMON GRACKLE 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.