This is New Hampshire Audubon’s Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 24th, 2014. Birders on a boat cruise out of Hampton on February 23rd, reported the following sightings in New Hampshire waters: 32 NORTHERN FULMARS, 4 NORTHERN GANNETS, a GREAT CORMORANT, 466 DOVEKIES, 16 COMMON MURRES, 7 THICK-BILLED MURRES, 4 UNIDENTIFIED MURRES, 60 RAZORBILLS, 86 UNIDENTIFIED LARGE ALCIDS, 8 BLACK GUILLEMOTS, 17 ATLANTIC PUFFINS, 297 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, a BONAPARTE'S GULL, a RING-BILLED GULL, 35 HERRING GULLS, 2 ICELAND GULLS, 80 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, and an AMERICAN PIPIT A SPOTTED TOWHEE was spotted in Rye on January 25th, and has been seen many times since then. It was last reported on February 23rd. It has been seen foraging on the ground in the scrub on the corner nearest the traffic island at the intersection of Central Road and Route 1A. A female KING EIDER, reported earlier this winter, was again seen off of Great Island Common in New Castle on February 22nd. At least 2 SNOWY OWLS continued to be reported in New Hampshire during the past week including 1 along the coast in Rye, and 1 in the Hampton and Seabrook marsh area. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was discovered inside(!) a private residence in Auburn and photographed on February 23rd. A GLAUCOUS GULL, 2 ICELAND GULLS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON were all seen around Hampton Harbor on February 23rd. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen from Airport Road in Swanzey on February 22nd, and 1 was seen in Hanover on the 21st. A flock of 18 SNOW BUNTINGS was reported from Rye, 58 were seen in Woodsville, 10 were seen in Monroe, 42 were seen in Littleton, and 10 were seen in Newmarket all on February 23rd. A flock of 90 SNOW BUNTINGS was seen in Lyme on the 19th, and a flock of 25 was seen in Hampton Falls on the 19th. A flock of 30 SNOW BUNTINGS was seen in Plainfield on February 20th. 3 BRANT were seen from Ragged Neck in Rye on February 23rd. A GREAT CORMORANT and a pair of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were reported from Nashua on February 22nd. 30 HOODED MERGANSERS were seen on Lake Opechee in Laconia on February 23rd. A flock of 17 RING-NECKED DUCKS was seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on February 20th, and there were a few reports of WOOD DUCKS from scattered locations during the past week. 2 TURKEY VULTURES were seen in Salem on February 24th, and 2 were seen in Nashua on the 22nd. A MERLIN and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK were seen in Salem on February 20th. A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen in Rye on February 20th, and 1 was seen in Portsmouth on the 22nd. A flock of COMMON GRACKLES was seen in Manchester, and a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was seen in Laconia, all on February 23rd. A flock of 22 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS was seen at the Lyme/Orford town line on February 19th. 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 ****************************************************************