This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, July 10th, 2008. 3 MISSISSIPPI KITES are regularly being seen in Newmarket. There is a pair that is nesting, and one additional bird is being seen in the same area. To see the birds, take Route 152 (South Main Street) west from the center of Newmarket. You will see the High School on the left (south) side of the road. Park at the High School and walk west down the street. Do not park in driveways, or along Route 152. The KITES have been seen flying and landing in the tops of trees between Maplecrest and Pond Streets. This is a residential neighborhood, and visiting birders should respect the rights of property owners. Please do not walk on private property, including lawns, talk and laugh loudly early in the morning, or block residents from using the sidewalk. Also, take care not to alarm the birds. Do not play recordings, stand under the nest, or harass the birds in any way. 2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were discovered in Bedford on May 31st. The last reported sighting (of only a single bird) was on July 4th. Birders are welcome to look for these woodpeckers. The birds were seen at 40 Buttonwood Drive in Bedford, and were perched in a tall dead white birch tree near the garage, in the front yard area. Please do not walk behind the house. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen on private property in Dover on July 8th. Birders on a field trip to White and Seavey Islands in the Isles of Shoals reported seeing 2 GREAT CORMORANTS, 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES, and 10 BONAPARTE'S GULLS. Also seen were some of the 4,000 COMMON TERNS, 80 ROSEATE TERNS, and 14 ARCTIC TERNS that nest there. A SURF SCOTER was seen in Rye Harbor on July 3rd. A juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen at Pickering Ponds in Rochester on July 8th. 2 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen on Mount Cardigan on July 5th. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was heard from near the junction of Nute Road and Hayes Road in Madbury on July 9th, and one was reported from Turkey Pond in Concord on July 6th. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard at Turkey Pond in Concord on July 6th. An ORCHARD ORIOLE was seen at Wiggin Farm in Newmarket on July 9th. Several breeding CLIFF SWALLOWS were reported from the outdoor scoreboard at the University of New Hampshire Field House on July 8th. A MARSH WREN was reported from the Ela River in New Durham on July 8th. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was seen on Jefferson Notch Road in the White Mountains on July 5th. Hikers on the Caps Ridge Trail, located off of Jefferson Notch Road, reported 8 BICKNELLS'S THRUSHES, 3 GRAY JAYS, and 5 BOREAL CHICKADEES on July 5th. 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen in Cambridge on July 7th. A pair of MERLINS has nested and fledged young at the Hanover Country Club. A VESPER SPARROW was reported from the Pease International Airport on July 9th, and 2 were reported from the Concord Airport on July 4th. 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. **************************************************************** 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 ****************************************************************