This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 4th, 
2012.



An adult male PAINTED BUNTING was seen at a birdfeeder located near Dover 
Point Road in Dover on December 28th and 29th, and presumably the same bird 
was seen about 2-miles away at a different birdfeeder in Dover on December 
31st. In both instances, the bird was documented with photographs, but it 
has not been seen again at either location.



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 December 30th, but the residents prefer not to have 
visitors at this time.



A BARNACLE GOOSE discovered in Rollinsford on December 14th, has been seen 
most regularly in fields along Roberts Road in Rollinsford near Route 4, and 
was last reported on January 3rd. It has also been seen along Route 4, and 
off of Foundry Street. It has always been found among flocks of CANADA 
GEESE.



A SNOWY OWL was seen along the coast in Rye on January 3rd. It was first 
seen at Ragged Neck, and later at Concord Point.



A SNOWY OWL was reported from the area on Route 302 and the Ammonoosuc River 
known as "the meadows" in Littleton on December 31st.



A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in Rye on January 1st.



A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and a HERMIT THRUSH were seen near the 2nd bunker at 
Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on January 1st.



A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen off of Great Boar's Head in Hampton on 
January 1st, and one was seen on Lake Winnisquam on January 2nd.



An ICELAND GULL was seen on the Salmon Falls River off of Foundry Street in 
Rollinsford on January 2nd, one was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment 
Plant, also on the 2nd, and one was seen on the Seabrook side of Hampton 
Harbor on the 1st.



3 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES were seen along the coast at Hampton Beach State 
Park on January 1st.



4 RAZORBILLS were seen from Great Island Common in New Castle on January 
1st.



2 RED CROSSBILLS were reported from Thompson Road in North Conway on January 
1st, and a HERMIT THRUSH was seen there on the 4th.



24 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at the Trudeau Road wetlands in 
Bethlehem on January 2nd. Access to the wetlands is off of Trudeau Road and 
parking is near but not blocking the gate to Forest Road 74.



3 BRANT were seen in Rye on January 3rd.



A pair of GADWALL, and 26 LESSER SCAUP were seen at the Exeter Wastewater 
Treatment Plant on January 2nd.



A NORTHERN PINTAIL was seen in Great Bay on January 2nd, and one was seen on 
South Mill Pond in Portsmouth on January 1st.



A RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was seen on Spofford Lake in Chesterfield on 
January 1st, and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen on the Connecticut River 
near the Wilder dam on December 31st.



A flock of 30 PURPLE SANDPIPERS was seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye 
on January 1st.



2 EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen at a feeder in Jefferson on December 31st.



2 FOX SPARROWS and 18 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS were seen in Gilmanton, and 
several RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen on North River Road in Milford, all on 
January 1st.



A OVENBIRD was discovered in the yard of private residence in Derry on 
December 31st, and was seen again on January 3rd. A PINE WARBLER was seen in 
Litchfield on January 3rd.



A HERMIT THRUSH was seen in Laconia on January 1st, and a CHIPPING SPARROW 
was reported from Pittsfield on January 3rd.



A MERLIN was reported from Hampton on January 1st, a NORTHERN HARRIER was 
seen on the 2nd, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen in Penacook on the 1st.



Highlights of the Isles of Shoals Christmas Bird Count, held on December 
31st, included: 4 SNOWY OWLS, a HARLEQUIN DUCK, a PEREGRINE FALCON, 93 
PURPLE SANDPIPERS. 5 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, a GLAUCOUS GULL, 13 
RAZORBILLS, and 10 BLACK GUILLEMOTS.



Highlights of the Laconia Christmas Bird Count, held on January 2nd, 
included: a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 13 COMMON 
LOONS, 3 RED-NECKED GREBES, a GREAT BLUE HERON, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 
4,322 AMERICAN CROWS, 2 CAROLINA WRENS, a WINTER WREN, 731 AMERICAN ROBINS, 
5 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, 14 PURPLE FINCHES, and 823 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES,



Highlights of the Sandwich Christmas Bird Count, held on December 29th, 
included: over 400 COMMON MERGANSERS, a GREEN-WINGED TEAL, a NORTHERN 
PINTAIL, a RED-NECKED GREBE, 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, 3 
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 3 NORTHERN FLICKERS, a BELTED KINGFISHER, a 
BOREAL CHICKADEE, a RED CROSSBILL, a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, and 428 
AMERICAN ROBINS.



A CAROLINA WREN, and 2 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were reported from Penacook 
on January 1st.



There were several sightings of TURKEY VULTURES, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS 
during the past week.



There were several reports of good numbers of PINE SISKINS, PURPLE FINCHES, 
and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES during the past week.



A few COMMON LOONS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, HOODED MERGANSERS, and GREAT BLUE 
HERONS were reported from several inland locations 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.