This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, September 6, 2011. An AMERICAN AVOCET was discovered in Meadow Pond in Hampton on August 24th, and has been seen continuously in the area since then. It was last reported from Hampton Harbor on September 6th. Another AMERICAN AVOCET has been seen in Salisbury Beach State Reservation in the adjacent town of Salisbury in Massachusetts. A BLACK TERN was seen in Hampton Harbor on September 1st and again on the 4th. A dead SOOTY TERN found in Stoddard, a victim of Hurricane Irene, was reported on September 2nd. An estimated 10 FORSTER'S TERNS mixed in with about 75 COMMON TERNS were reported from Hampton Harbor on September 5th. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen in Hampton Harbor on September 5th. A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER and a WESTERN SANDPIPER were seen just north of the Yankee Fisherman's Cooperative in Seabrook, and a WESTERN SANDPIPER was seen at Plaice Cove in Hampton, all on September 2nd. A RUDDY TURNSTONE and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER were seen in Sandwich on September 6th. 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and 5 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were seen along the Connecticut River in Charlestown on September 3rd. 3 juvenile BLACK GUILLEMOTS were seen in Hampton Harbor on September 3rd. An estimated 3,500 TREE SWALLOWS were reported from Cross Beach Road in Seabrook on September 2nd. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS continue to be seen migrating south in the evenings. Highlights during the past week included: 1,509 from Carter Hill in Concord on September 5th; 727 from Powdermill Pond in Hancock on September 5th; 974 from Carter Hill in Concord on September 4th; 289 in Amherst on September 4th; 160 from downtown Concord on September 3rd; 155 from Carter Hill in Concord on September 3rd; and 76 from Carter Hill in Concord on September 2nd. RAPTOR migration is under way with raptors already reported from the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory in Peterborough, and the Carter Hill Raptor Observatory in Concord. Be sure to visit these observatories this fall season to help out with the count! 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.