This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, December 11th, 2008. 2 SNOWY OWLS were seen on the coast in Rye between Wallis Sands and Pulpit Rocks on December 8th. A SNOWY OWL was seen at Ragged Neck in Rye on December 10th. A SNOWY OWL was seen in Milford from December 1st to the 3rd near the Market Basket on Route 101, close to the Wilton town line. A BLACK VULTURE was reported from Goffstown on December 4th. A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen on the ocean from Great Boar's Head in Hampton on December 7th and 8th. 4 RAZORBILLS were seen off the coast in Rye on December 7th, and several more were seen along the coast on the 6th. 9 BLACK GUILLEMOTS were also reported from along the coast on December 6th. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at the town landing in Durham on December 7th. A BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was reported from Concord Point in Rye on December 10th. A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at the Yankee Fisherman's Coop in Seabrook on December 9th, and 3 ICELAND GULLS were seen here on the 7th. A GLAUCOUS GULL and 2 AMERICAN COOTS were seen on Eel Pond in Rye on December 7th. A COMMON REDPOLL was seen in Rochester on December 6th. Over 115 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in Strafford on December 9th. A LONG-TAILED DUCK, 2 RED-NECKED GREBES, 4 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 51 HOODED MERGANSERS, and 26 COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Spofford Lake on December 4th. A LONG-TAILED DUCK, 60 HOODED MERGANSERS, 10 COMMON MERGANSERS, and 30 COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on December 8th. 12 LESSER SCAUP were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on December 4th, a female NORTHERN PINTAIL was seen from Pulpit Rocks in Rye on December 8th, and a PIED-BILLED GREBE was seen in Great Pond in Kingston on December 6th. 8 BALD EAGLES were reported from Hill Road in Dummer on December 8th. A MERLIN was seen in Keene, a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Stratham, and an EASTERN SCREECH-OWL was seen in Exeter, all on December 4th. A BLACKPOLL WARBLER was seen at the junction of Routes 111 and 1A in North Hampton on December 6th. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and an EASTERN PHOEBE were seen here on the 7th. 10 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were seen in the dunes at Seabrook on December 6th. A PINE WARBLER was seen visiting a bird feeder in Pittsfield on December 9th, and one was seen at the Seabrook Wastewater Treatment Plant on December 6th. 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen in Hampton Falls on December 7th, and one was seen in Durham on the 6th. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD, an EASTERN TOWHEE and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were seen along the Cocheco River in Rochester on December 5th. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen at Great Bay Farm in Greenland on December 6th. Several FOX SPARROWS were reported from various locations during the past week. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen in Hanover on December 6th. 200 CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen outside the Hanover Town Offices on December 9th, 200 were seen on the UNH campus in Durham on the 8th, and about 900 were seen at the River Mill Commercial Park on Mechanics Street in Lebanon on December 6th. There have been scattered sightings of PURPLE SANDPIPERS along the coast during the past week, and there have also been scattered sightings of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, SNOW BUNTINGS and HORNED LARKS from coastal and inland sites 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. **************************************************************** 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 ****************************************************************