This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Monday, March 20th, 2017. A GREAT GRAY OWL was discovered in Newport on February 25th, was relocated on March 1st, and has been seen every day since then, but not today. To look for the bird, take Route 10 to Haserlet Park on Corbin Road, near the Newport Airport. If the bird is not present, try looking from Route 10 a short distance north of the airport where it can sometimes be seen, but do not enter the fields as these are on private property. You can also drive to Oak Street and drive about 0.3 miles to the rail trail located on the north side of Oak Street just past Kyle Drive. The bird has sometimes been seen hunting in the fields located on the east side of the rail trail about 0.1-0.2 miles north of Oak Street. The most reliable viewing time is late afternoon. When you park, be sure not to block driveways, and respect privacy. Do not trespass on private land. Stay off the airport runway, Please do not approach the owl too closely, do not play recordings, and do not disturb it. For more about owl viewing etiquette, open this link (originally written to apply for Snowy Owls, but also applicable to Great Gray Owls): http://www.nhaudubon.org/snowy-owl-viewing-observe-without-disturbing/ A VARIED THRUSH was discovered in Swanzey on December 12th and it has been seen many times since then. It was last reported on March 13th. The bird has been seen visiting a birdfeeder on the side of a house at 117 Westport Village Road and has been visible from the road. The house is very close to the road, which is very busy with little room for parking. The best option may be to park on the southeast side of the road between Depot Road and Sandy Road just south of the feeder location and walk to the feeders. Be sure to leave adequate room for large trucks to get by and do not block any driveways. Please be respectful of the neighbors. The bird has usually been seen very early in the morning. It has also been seen across the street and along Depot Road and Sandy Road. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen flying over Concord on March 15th. A BLACK VULTURE was seen near the Dunkin Donuts on Route 16/302 in North Conway on March 18th, 19th. and 20th. A pair of BARROW’S GOLDENEYES was seen at Sewalls Falls on the Merrimack River in Concord on March 18th, and a male BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on the 17th and 19th. 3 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and a GREAT BLUE HERON were seen at Horseshoe Pond in Merrimack on March 17th. A NORTHERN PINTAIL and 20 LESSER SCAUP were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on March 18th. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen just north of Reed’s Marsh in Orford on March 19th. A DICKCISSEL was seen visiting a birdfeeder in Portsmouth on March 18th. BOHEMIAN WAXWING sightings during the past week included: 16 in Lyme on March 14th, 160 in Meredith on the 15th, 20 in Glen on the 17th, 12 in Gilford on the 19th, 6 in Penacook on the 19th, and 100 in Holderness on the 19th. A flock of 16 EVENING GROSBEAKS was seen in Jefferson on March 14th. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen in Plainfield on March 16th. A PINE WARBLER was seen visiting a birdfeeder in Newmarket on March 14th, and 1 was seen at a birdfeeder in Madbury on March 17th, 18th, and 19th. A TREE SWALLOW was seen in Concord on March 20th. 2 HERMIT THRUSHES were seen in East Kingston on March 18th. A WINTER WREN was seen in Gilsum on March 13th. A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen in Lyme on March 17th. An overwintering EASTERN TOWHEE was reported from New Ipswich on March 14th. An over-wintering CHIPPING SPARROW continues to be seen in Pittsfield. A MERLIN was seen in Westmoreland on March 15th, and 1 was seen near Weirs Beach on the 20th. An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen in Nashua on March 18th, and 2 were seen in Penacook on the 19th. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was seen at Mud Pond in the Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson on March 14th. This message is also available by phone recording: call (603) 224-9909 and press 4 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] To unsubscribe: E-mail this command to [log in to unmask] UNSUBSCRIBE UV-Birders To change your e-mail address: E-mail this command from your old address to: [log in to unmask] CHANGE UV-Birders [new e-mail address] Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html