This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, September 20th, 
2011.



A juvenile CURLEW SANDPIPER was discovered among other shorebirds at Plaice 
Cove in Hampton on September 17th and has been seen in the same area again 
on the 18th, 19th, and 20th. If you try to see the bird, free parking is 
available across from Bicentennial Park and you can walk to the cove from 
there via Ancient Highway and then to the end of Toppan Street. The 
sandpiper has been feeding in the seaweed that has washed up on the beach 
and rocks. Also present in the same area at times have been 2 AMERICAN 
GOLDEN-PLOVERS, several RUDDY TURNSTONES and DUNLINS, and many SANDERLINGS.



An AMERICAN AVOCET was discovered in Meadow Pond in Hampton on August 24th, 
and has been seen continuously in the coastal Hampton area since then. It 
was last reported from Hampton Harbor just south of the Yankee Fisherman's 
Cooperative on September 20th.



A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was seen in Penacook on September 17th.



A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, a MOURNING WARBLER, and a CAPE MAY WARBLER were seen 
on Star Island, one of the Isles of Shoals, on September 17th.



A first-winter LITTLE GULL, an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 3 RED KNOTS, 
an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, and 65 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were all seen in 
Hampton Harbor on September 17th.



2 CASPIAN TERNS were seen along the coast in Hampton on September 18th.



9 FORSTER'S TERNS, 73 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 5 RED KNOTS, 187 BONAPARTE'S 
GULLS, and a RED-NECKED GREBE were all seen in Hampton Harbor on September 
18th.



A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen at Hampton Beach State Park on September 
18th.



3 HUDSONIAN GODWITS were seen in Hampton Harbor on September 16th.



A NORTHERN SHOVELER and 18 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen at the Exeter 
Wastewater Treatment Plant on September 16th.



Weather conditions for RAPTOR migration viewing were ideal last weekend and 
record-breaking numbers were tallied over the 2-days. The total reported 
from the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory in Peterborough was 
8,933 raptors, and the total reported from the Carter Hill Raptor 
Observatory in Concord was 7,891 raptors. Species reported included BALD 
EAGLE, OSPREY, NORTHERN HARRIER, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, 
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 
and RED-TAILED HAWK. However, the majority of the birds counted were 
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, and while this was likely the peak flight days for that 
species, there are still many more raptors that will be seen at these sites 
over the next several weeks up to the end of October and even into November. 
Be sure to visit these observatories this fall season to help out with the 
count!



Other raptor sighting of note during the past week included: 563 reported 
from Winnacunnet High School in Hampton on September 16th; 989 from Odiorne 
Point State Park in Rye on the 16th; 1,779 from Carter Hill in Concord on 
the 19th; and over 800 from Pack Monadnock in Peterborough on the 19th.



A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen perching on several buildings in Concord, and 
one was seen atop the Methodist Church in Nashua, both during the past week.



9 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen on the coast on September 16th.



A SNOWY EGRET was reported from Horseshoe Pond in Concord on September 16th.



A GREAT EGRET was reported from Keene on September 18th.



A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was reported from Littleton on September 18th.



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.