This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, November 20th, 2008. A SANDHILL CRANE was seen in the fields adjacent to Plains Road in Monroe on November 18th. There has been a SANDHILL CRANE over-summering here for several years running. A SNOWY OWL was seen at the corner of Stone Pond Road and Frost Hill Road in Marlborough on November 16th. An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen in Ashland on November 16th. An adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at a private residence in Chatham on November 18th, and one was seen at the Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Swanzey on November 16th. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and a BLACKPOLL WARBLER were seen near Little Boar's Head in North Hampton on November 19th, a PALM WARBLER was seen on River Road in Penacook on the 16th, and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was seen in Rye on the 15th. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Hampton Beach State Park on November 15th, and there was a report of a possible LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Moore Fields in Durham on November 16th. An ICELAND GULL was seen at Rye Harbor, and one seen from Concord Point in Rye, both on November 19th. 2 ICELAND GULLS were seen at the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant on November 14th. 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 STILT SANDPIPER was seen at the pools at the end of Landing Road in Hampton on November 14th and 15th, an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was seen at Plaice Cove in Hampton on November 16th, and a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were seen in Hampton Harbor on November 15th. 6 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 19 RUDDY DUCKS, 14 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, a BONAPARTE'S GULL, and an AMERICAN COOT were reported from the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on November 15th. 2 NORTHERN PINTAILS were seen migrating south along the coast on November 19th. A NORTHERN PINTAIL and a WOOD DUCK were seen on Eel Pond in Rye on November 17th, and an AMERICAN COOT was seen here on the 17th. An AMERICAN WIGEON was reported from Northwood Lake on November 16th. A HORNED GREBE, a BLACK SCOTER, 3 RUDDY DUCKS, and 2 WOOD DUCKS were reported from Lake Massabesic in Auburn on November 18th, and a PIED-BILLED GREBE and 2 COMMON LOONS were seen here on the 15th. 8 BUFFLEHEADS, 3 COMMON MERGANSERS, and a NORTHERN HARRIER were reported from the Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson on November 17th. 2 COMMON MERGANSERS and 27 HOODED MERGANSERS were seen at the Basin, 5 COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen on Lower Kimball Pond, and 39 RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen on Upper Kimball Pond, in Chatham all on November 17th. 75 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen on Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard on November 18th, and 17 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen on Bog Road in Penacook on November 16th. 32 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, 5 SNOW BUNTINGS, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES, and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER were seen along the Kancamagus Highway and the south end of Bear Notch Road in Albany on November 18th. 120 HORNED LARKS and 20 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Moore Fields on Route 155A in Durham on November 14th. 21 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen at Thirty Pines in Penacook on November 16th. 2 late-migrating BARN SWALLOWS were seen at Bicentennial Park in Hampton on November 16th. A late-migrating female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK has been visiting the birdfeeders at the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, and was last reported on November 19th. A late-migrating NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was seen in Rye, and a late-migrating SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was seen in Hampton, both on November 15th. A MERLIN was seen in Nashua on November 19th. 5 BALD EAGLES were seen in Dummer on November 19th. 4 GRAY JAYS have been seen regularly visiting a suet feeder in Errol. 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 ****************************************************************