-RBA
*New Hampshire
*March 29, 2007
*NHNH2903.07
- Species Mentioned
Barnacle Goose
Canada Goose
Sow Goose
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Wood Duck
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Black Duck
Tree Swallow
Northern Saw-whet Owl
American Coot
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel
American Woodcock
Wilson's Snipe
Eastern Phoebe
Black-headed Gull
Boreal Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed ("Oregon") Junco
Eastern Meadowlark
White-winged Crossbill
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
-Transcript
This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, March
29, 2007. If you would like to leave a message about a bird sighting
without listening to the recording first, press the pound key now.
A BARNACLE GOOSE has been seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale
for several days. It was first reported (and photographed) on the
25th coming in to roost with CANADA GEESE on the Connecticut River
just above the Vernon dam. It continued to be seen in the evening on
both the 26th and 27th coming into the roost. On both the 27th and
28th it was also seen in the afternoon on the Vermont side of the
river on Riverside Rd. in Vernon. It was feeding in a corn field with
a large flock of CANADA GEESE. Observers on the 27th watched it fly
over the ice to the Hinsdale roost at about 6:30 that evening.
CACKLING GEESE have also been seen with the flocks of CANADA GEESE on
the Vermont side on Riverside Road, with 4 on the 28th, and 2 on the
25th.
Other waterfowl at the Hinsdale roost on the 27th included 4,000
CANADA GEESE, 34 SNOW GEESE, 226 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 87 RING-NECKED
DUCKS, 6 GADWALL, 10 AMERICAN WIGEON, 1 LESSER SCAUP, 10 GREATER
SCAUP, 4 BUFFLEHEAD, 44 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 68 WOOD DUCK, 33 COMMON
GOLDENEYE, 12 COMMON MERGANSERS, 12 HOODED MERGANSERS, and good
numbers of BLACKS and MALLARDS. There were also 50 TREE SWALLOWS, 1
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, and hundreds of “blackbirds” flying north up
the river. Other species reported on the river above the dam earlier
in the week include AMERICAN COOT, BALD EAGLE, MERLIN, AMERICAN
WOODCOCK, and EASTERN PHOEBE.
The best area to view the roost is from the bluff above the
Connecticut River at the Vernon dam. To reach the area, coming from
Brattleboro on Rt. 119, make a sharp right onto River Road 6.7 miles
from the bridge. Follow River Rd. to the end. Park on the right where
the road ends and there is a gate for the shooting range. Walk under
the railroad trestle and up onto the shooting range then scramble
down the bank opposite the river to the railbed. Heading north along
the railbed, watch for a gate on your left after about 2 tenths of a
mile. There's a gate on the right too. Take the left at the gate and
follow that road for about 8 tenths of a mile. This road leads you
right out onto the bluff. A telescope is almost a necessity. At
about 6:30 geese begin flying in from the fields to the south,
increasing in numbers until dark.
There is a Mondanock Audubon Chapter field trip to the area in search
of waterfowl on Saturday the 31st that begins in Hinsdale.
Participants should meet at the Dunkin Donuts at Winchester Street
opposite the junction of Route 101 and 10 in Keene at 7:00am.
On March 24th there were 4 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in Charlestown
in a cornfield with 200 CANADA GEESE just south of the town center
and visible from the wastewater treatment facility. They were seen
three hours later in cornfields a couple miles farther south,
probably with same group of Canadas. There were also 29 SNOW GEESE in
the Charlestown cornfields.
A pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS was found at the Exeter wastewater
treatment plant on the 23rd and seen daily through at least the 25th.
A possible female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was reported there on the 23rd,
and more than 175 RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen on the 25th, while
small numbers of several other species have been present.
At Pickering Ponds in Rochester there was a good selection of
waterfowl on the 28th including 2 AMERICAN WIGEON, and 50 RING-NECKED
DUCKS. The first winter BLACK-HEADED GULL that has been frequenting
the wastewater treatment plant was also present on the ponds.
On March 27th there were 5 SNOW GEESE and a NORTHERN PINTAIL at the
Moore fields on Route 155A in Durham. There were many other reports
of various waterfowl on small ponds and rivers after ice-out.
An “OREGON” JUNCO was reported at Riverslea Farm in Epping on the
25th. This is a western race of our DARK-EYED JUNCO.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS continue to be seen in good numbers at the
Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson and Whitefield
along with numerous singing PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS.
A BOREAL CHICKADEE was singing from Red Hill in Sandwich and 2
EVENING GROSBEAKS flew over on the 25th. There were several other
EVENING GROSBEAK reports including Middle Route in Gilmanton on the
25th, Epping on the 24th and the Tin Mountain Nature Learning Center
on Bald Hill Rd. in Albany.
Spring birds continue to arrive including 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS singing
at the far eastern edge of the Post Office fields in Concord on the
23rd, 3 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at Turkey Pond in Concord on the 23rd,
and FISH CROWS in Manchester and Durham. There have been a number of
sightings of returning RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL,
KILLDEER, EASTERN PHOEBE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, WILSON’S SNIPE, PURPLE
FINCH, and EASTERN MEADOWLARK.
This message is also available by phone recording: call 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
tape or send your sightings to the RBA via e-mail at:
birdsetc@nhaudubon.org. 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
*New Hampshire
*March 29, 2007
*NHNH2903.07
- Species Mentioned
Barnacle Goose
Canada Goose
Sow Goose
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Wood Duck
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Black Duck
Tree Swallow
Northern Saw-whet Owl
American Coot
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel
American Woodcock
Wilson's Snipe
Eastern Phoebe
Black-headed Gull
Boreal Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed ("Oregon") Junco
Eastern Meadowlark
White-winged Crossbill
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
-Transcript
This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, March
29, 2007. If you would like to leave a message about a bird sighting
without listening to the recording first, press the pound key now.
A BARNACLE GOOSE has been seen on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale
for several days. It was first reported (and photographed) on the
25th coming in to roost with CANADA GEESE on the Connecticut River
just above the Vernon dam. It continued to be seen in the evening on
both the 26th and 27th coming into the roost. On both the 27th and
28th it was also seen in the afternoon on the Vermont side of the
river on Riverside Rd. in Vernon. It was feeding in a corn field with
a large flock of CANADA GEESE. Observers on the 27th watched it fly
over the ice to the Hinsdale roost at about 6:30 that evening.
CACKLING GEESE have also been seen with the flocks of CANADA GEESE on
the Vermont side on Riverside Road, with 4 on the 28th, and 2 on the
25th.
Other waterfowl at the Hinsdale roost on the 27th included 4,000
CANADA GEESE, 34 SNOW GEESE, 226 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 87 RING-NECKED
DUCKS, 6 GADWALL, 10 AMERICAN WIGEON, 1 LESSER SCAUP, 10 GREATER
SCAUP, 4 BUFFLEHEAD, 44 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 68 WOOD DUCK, 33 COMMON
GOLDENEYE, 12 COMMON MERGANSERS, 12 HOODED MERGANSERS, and good
numbers of BLACKS and MALLARDS. There were also 50 TREE SWALLOWS, 1
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, and hundreds of “blackbirds” flying north up
the river. Other species reported on the river above the dam earlier
in the week include AMERICAN COOT, BALD EAGLE, MERLIN, AMERICAN
WOODCOCK, and EASTERN PHOEBE.
The best area to view the roost is from the bluff above the
Connecticut River at the Vernon dam. To reach the area, coming from
Brattleboro on Rt. 119, make a sharp right onto River Road 6.7 miles
from the bridge. Follow River Rd. to the end. Park on the right where
the road ends and there is a gate for the shooting range. Walk under
the railroad trestle and up onto the shooting range then scramble
down the bank opposite the river to the railbed. Heading north along
the railbed, watch for a gate on your left after about 2 tenths of a
mile. There's a gate on the right too. Take the left at the gate and
follow that road for about 8 tenths of a mile. This road leads you
right out onto the bluff. A telescope is almost a necessity. At
about 6:30 geese begin flying in from the fields to the south,
increasing in numbers until dark.
There is a Mondanock Audubon Chapter field trip to the area in search
of waterfowl on Saturday the 31st that begins in Hinsdale.
Participants should meet at the Dunkin Donuts at Winchester Street
opposite the junction of Route 101 and 10 in Keene at 7:00am.
On March 24th there were 4 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in Charlestown
in a cornfield with 200 CANADA GEESE just south of the town center
and visible from the wastewater treatment facility. They were seen
three hours later in cornfields a couple miles farther south,
probably with same group of Canadas. There were also 29 SNOW GEESE in
the Charlestown cornfields.
A pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS was found at the Exeter wastewater
treatment plant on the 23rd and seen daily through at least the 25th.
A possible female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was reported there on the 23rd,
and more than 175 RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen on the 25th, while
small numbers of several other species have been present.
At Pickering Ponds in Rochester there was a good selection of
waterfowl on the 28th including 2 AMERICAN WIGEON, and 50 RING-NECKED
DUCKS. The first winter BLACK-HEADED GULL that has been frequenting
the wastewater treatment plant was also present on the ponds.
On March 27th there were 5 SNOW GEESE and a NORTHERN PINTAIL at the
Moore fields on Route 155A in Durham. There were many other reports
of various waterfowl on small ponds and rivers after ice-out.
An “OREGON” JUNCO was reported at Riverslea Farm in Epping on the
25th. This is a western race of our DARK-EYED JUNCO.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS continue to be seen in good numbers at the
Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson and Whitefield
along with numerous singing PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS.
A BOREAL CHICKADEE was singing from Red Hill in Sandwich and 2
EVENING GROSBEAKS flew over on the 25th. There were several other
EVENING GROSBEAK reports including Middle Route in Gilmanton on the
25th, Epping on the 24th and the Tin Mountain Nature Learning Center
on Bald Hill Rd. in Albany.
Spring birds continue to arrive including 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS singing
at the far eastern edge of the Post Office fields in Concord on the
23rd, 3 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at Turkey Pond in Concord on the 23rd,
and FISH CROWS in Manchester and Durham. There have been a number of
sightings of returning RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL,
KILLDEER, EASTERN PHOEBE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, WILSON’S SNIPE, PURPLE
FINCH, and EASTERN MEADOWLARK.
This message is also available by phone recording: call 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
tape or send your sightings to the RBA via e-mail at:
birdsetc@nhaudubon.org. 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