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02 Sep Whimbrels at Pease Golf Course [Steve Mirick ] 2 Sep Keene Nighthawks, September 1st [Clifford Seifer ] 2 Sep RE: Nighthawk Watch - Concord ["Sheila Oranch" ] 1 Sep Fall Birds [Blake Allison ] 1 Sep Rare Bird Alert, New Hampshire, September 1, 2010 ["Mark Suomala" ] 2 Sep Nighthawk Watch - Concord [] 01 Sep HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (01 Sep 2010) 9 Raptors [] 01 Sep NHA Fall Pelagic is On! [Jon Woolf ] 01 Sep Krif Rd (Keene) - Tennessee, Thrasher ["Kenneth Klapper" ] 1 Sep Seacoast Audubon program 9/8: The Galapagos Islands: An Evolutionary Wonder [Dan Hubbard ] 01 Sep NHA Fall Pelagic is On! [Jon Woolf ] 1 Sep Seabirds and Whales trip on September 7, 2010 ["David Larson" ] 1 Sep Keene Nighthawks [Clifford Seifer ] 01 Sep HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (31 Aug 2010) 29 Raptors [] 1 Sep Nighthawk Watch -Concord [] 31 Aug shorebirding yesterday [] 31 Aug Re: hurricane earl and star island [Jim Hully ] 31 Aug hurricane earl and star island [] 31 Aug Carolina Wren, Field Sparrow, warblers, tanager, Powder Mill Pond [Lillian Stokes ] 31 Aug Y-b Fly and Sw Thrush in Webster [] 31 Aug Pied-billed Grebe Pittsfield [] 30 Aug NH Coast (Baird's Sandpiper, Forster's Terns) [Steve Mirick ] 30 Aug RE: Coastal shorebirding: Whimbrels and more ["Kevin Klasman" ] 30 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (30 Aug 2010) 30 Raptors [] 31 Aug Eagles at Lake Massabesic in Manchester [] 31 Aug Nighahwk Watch - Concord [] 30 Aug Olive-sided Flycatcher/Amherst/ Bald Eagle, Nashua [Chris Sheridan ] 30 Aug some Carroll County sightings [] 30 Aug RE: A couple of Pittsburg birds ["Sheila Oranch" ] 30 Aug nighthawks in Derry [byrder101 ] 29 Aug Just in time for fall migration! ["Susan Fogleman" ] 29 Aug Last Saturday ["Chet" ] 29 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (29 Aug 2010) 13 Raptors [] 30 Aug Nighthawk Watch - Concord [] 29 Aug A couple of Pittsburg birds ["PAMELA HUNT" ] 29 Aug Nashua Nighthawks [] 29 Aug Angels(Blue) & Aerials(Peregrine)-Portsmouth [thomas hadley ] 29 Aug Red-necked Phalaraope [] 28 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (28 Aug 2010) 21 Raptors [] 28 Aug Pickering Ponds trails bird walk, Sept. 4 [Dan Hubbard ] 28 Aug harrier, warblers, Durham, shorebirds on Landing Road [Kurk Dorsey ] 28 Aug Coast and more (Baird's SP, Forster's Tern, etc,) [Lauren Kras ] 28 Aug Coastal shorebirding: Whimbrels and more [Jon Woolf ] 28 Aug Friday afternoon whale watch [Cliff Otto ] 27 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (27 Aug 2010) 11 Raptors [] 27 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (26 Aug 2010) 32 Raptors [] 27 Aug NH Audubon Fall Pelagic - Last Chance [Jon Woolf ] 27 Aug NH Audubon Fall Pelagic - Last Chance [Jon Woolf ] 27 Aug eagle ["sylviasmiskoe AT aol.com" ] 27 Aug RE: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop ["Kevin Klasman" ] 27 Aug RE: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop ["Kevin Klasman" ] 27 Aug Krif Rd (Keene) - Nighthawks, Philly V & more ["Kenneth Klapper" ] 27 Aug pm whale watch [Len Medlock ] 27 Aug Nighthawk Migration - Concord [] 26 Aug Baird's - No, Forster's Terns - Yes [Steve Mirick ] 26 Aug 2 Baird's in Seabrook ["Tony Vazzano" ] 26 Aug CORRECTION: Cooper's and Broad-winged Hawks, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 ["Kevin Klasman" ] 26 Aug RE: Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 ["Iain MacLeod" ] 26 Aug Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 ["Kevin Klasman" ] 26 Aug Re: great egrets in Derry [Paul Dionne ] 26 Aug White-chinned Petrel [Emmalee Tarry ] 26 Aug Baird's Sandpiper in Seabrook [Steve Mirick ] 26 Aug great egrets in Derry [byrder101 ] 26 Aug Great egret [Roger Treadwell ] 26 Aug Apparent White-chinned Petrel seen from Bar Harbor whale watch [Steve Mirick ] 25 Aug storm birds [] 25 Aug olive-sided flycatcher, Sullivan [Phil Brown ] 25 Aug Pelagic bird/whale trip from Plymouth, MA [Steve Mirick ] 25 Aug Re: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop [Chris Sheridan ] 25 Aug Black-headed Gull off Little Boar's Head [Steve Mirick ] 25 Aug HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (24 Aug 2010) 7 Raptors [] 25 Aug Joppa Flats Banding Station Report Week #2 & #3 (7-20 August 2010) ["David Larson" ] 25 Aug Joppa Flats Banding Station Report Week #2 & #3 (7-20 August 2010) ["David Larson" ] 25 Aug Downtown Nashua Osprey ["David S. Deifik" ] 25 Aug Re: Nighthawk Migration ["Keith Gordon" ] 25 Aug migration at Hinsdale ["hector galbraith" ] Subject: Whimbrels at Pease Golf Course From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:34:50 -0400 I stopped at the Pease Golf course this morning. Hoping for Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but no luck. Instead, I found 2 Whimbrels waiting for a T-time. http://home.comcast.net/~smirick//photos/whiimbrel1.jpg Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: Keene Nighthawks, September 1st From: Clifford Seifer <clifdisc AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 08:55:06 -0400 Eight people came out for last night's nighthawk watch in Keene and there was a nice assortment of nighthawks showing off for them. The evening started off with 8 nighthawks moving South just before 6:00. Between 6-7, our experience was much the same as Concord's, with nighthawks feeding, moving, circling back around, giving us great looks as they passed over head but making counting a challenge. Finally, towards 7:00, the majority of the nighthawks streamed off to the South giving us a high count of 54 nighthawks moving South with another 13 staying behind to feed. I will not be able to count nighthawks the next several evenings so, if anyone wants to take the baton, it would be nice to have continued coverage in Keene. (Ken Klapper has been the most consistent observer reporting to www.borobirding.net in Keene this season.) The parking lot of Stone Arch Village on Court St is a nice place to observe from because you can look from the head of Green Wagon Farm towards the gold course and up the Ashuelot River Valley. -- Cliff Seifer Keene NH Subject: RE: Nighthawk Watch - Concord From: "Sheila Oranch" <Sheila AT coppertoppe.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:38:12 -0400 Do you think the oncoming storm is alarming the migratory birds? Given the wind they may sense that it is not prudent to continue south right now, but they are not sure where to settle to wait it out. Our seasonal birds are acting jittery and the hummingbirds are even more active than usual. Sheila ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coppertoppe Inn & Retreat Center Your deluxe B&B retreat on Newfound Lake! Sheila Oranch sheila AT coppertoppe.com Bill Powers bill AT coppertoppe.com Shared email info AT coppertoppe.com 8 Range Road, Hebron, NH 03241 (603) 744-3636 or toll free (866) 846-3636 www.coppertoppe.com or visit http://tinyurl.com/CoppertoppeFBpage -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 8:29 PM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Nighthawk Watch - Concord Tonight we had a confusing array of birds moving in all directions, coming back for more, and feeders and migrants. After cutting out all possible duplicates, I come up with a total of 49 - not many. Winds were out of the southwest. Several more were seen in different places on the way home, including at my house so birds are definitely on the move. Tomorrow night will probably be the last chance for a few days, maybe the season, so I will be out there. Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: Fall Birds From: Blake Allison <blake_allison AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:46:30 -0700 (PDT) Today marks the beginning of what I call my "Fall Bird Count." It enumerates what is on or over our home property and goes until December 21st. I record species, not numbers. The season got off to an auspicious start today with the following: American Robin White-breasted Nuthatch Wild Turkey Pileated Woodpecker Blue Jay Downy Woodpecker Red-tailed Hawk Dark-eyed Junco Black-capped Chickadee Onward and upward. Blake 95 Whipple Hill Rd. Lyme, NH 03768-3322 603-795-4167 Subject: Rare Bird Alert, New Hampshire, September 1, 2010 From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala AT marksbirdtours.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 21:51:03 -0400 This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, September 1st, 2010. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen from Little Boar's Head in North Hampton on August 25th. A FORSTER'S TERN, and 2 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were reported from Lake Massabesic in Auburn on August 25th. 4 FORSTER'S TERNS were seen in Hampton Harbor on August 26th. A FORSTER'S TERN and 100 COMMON TERNS were seen at Dover Point in Dover on August 28th. A BLACK TERN and a flock of 28 EASTERN KINGBIRDS were reported from the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on August 25th. A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was reported from Baboosic Lake in Merrimack on August 28th. 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were seen in Seabrook on the beach located just to the north of the Yankee Fisherman's Cooperative public access fishing area on August 26th. A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 40 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 100 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 50 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 20 WILLETS, 5 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 100 SANDERLINGS, over 1,000 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 20 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 50 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were reported from Hampton Harbor on August 28th. 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were reported from the salt pannes at the end of Landing Road in Hampton on August 28th. An UPLAND SANDPIPER, and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER were reported from the Canterbury Sod Farms, located west of Route 93 at Exit 18, on August 25th. 4 WHIMBRELS were seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on August 28th. 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were seen in Amherst on August 30th. Highlights of migrant warbler reports during the past week included 2 CAPE MAY WARBLERS in Freedom on August 27th, a MOURNING WARBLER in Hancock on the 24th, a BAY-BREASTED WARBLER and a BLACKPOLL WARBLER in Webster on the 31st, a WILSON'S WARBLER in Effingham on the 28th, and a BLUE-WINGED WARBLER in Durham on the 26th. Migrant TENNESSEE WARBLER sightings during the past week included one in Webster on the August 24th, 5 in Freedom on the 26th, one in Hanover on the 31st, and one in Keene on September 1st. A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was seen in Keene on August 27th, and one was seen in Freedom on the 26th. Migrant OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER reports during the past week included one in Sullivan on August 25th, one in Effingham on the 28th, one in Freedom on the 24th, and one in Amherst on the 30th. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen in Webster on August 31st. A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was seen in Freedom on August 26th. A SPRUCE GROUSE, a GRAY JAY, 4 BOREAL CHICKADEES, and 2 CAPE MAY WARBLERS were seen in Pittsburg on August 28th. An EVENING GROSBEAK was reported from Effingham on August 28th. A PIED-BILLED GREBE was seen in Chester on August 24th, and one was seen in Pittsfield on the 31st. Inland reports of GREAT EGRETS during the past week included 1 in Weare, and 1 in Derry, both on August 26th. COMMON NIGHTHAWK migration continues with reports of 52 in Keene on August 26th, 125 in Keene on the 31st, 66 in Concord on the 29th, 49 in Concord on September 1st, and smaller numbers from scattered locations during the past week. RAPTOR migration is under way with 152 raptors already reported from the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory in Peterborough since August 24th. Be sure to visit the observatory this fall season to help out with the count! A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Hampton on August 28th, and one was seen in Portsmouth on the 29th. 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: birdsetc AT 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 Thanks very much and good birding. Subject: Nighthawk Watch - Concord From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:29:26 +0000 (UTC) Tonight we had a confusing array of birds moving in all directions, coming back for more, and feeders and migrants. After cutting out all possible duplicates, I come up with a total of 49 - not many. Winds were out of the southwest. Several more were seen in different places on the way home, including at my house so birds are definitely on the move. Tomorrow night will probably be the last chance for a few days, maybe the season, so I will be out there. Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (01 Sep 2010) 9 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 01 Sep 2010 20:09:25 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 01, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 0 0 11 Bald Eagle 0 0 1 Northern Harrier 0 0 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 4 51 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 5 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 3 3 52 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 1 16 Merlin 0 0 6 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 1 4 Total: 9 9 152 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:15:00 Observation end time: 16:45:00 Total observation time: 9.5 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Al Grimstad, Katrina Fenton, Tom Baillio Visitors: A lovely mother-daughter team of dragonfly catchers. They swing their ten-foot poles with abandon, and hawk watchers should take heed they don't get netted by mistake. While we talked, a merlin came overhead, overtook and devoured one of their three-inch darners--an event that produced mixed emotions on the observation platform. Weather: All-day haze like a slow forest fire burning. Couldn't see much at all, especially toward late afternoon. A couple puffs from the south-west, but not much moving around in the heat, neither air nor birds. Raptor Observations: Though migrants were few, a couple of birds seem to have taken up temporary residence around Pack, returning for a few encores each. One of yesterday's male merlins was around from early morning onward, shearing the tops off the spruces and sending the bluejays for cover. A Cooper's came out from behind the Observatory to give the ravens what-for, likely the same immature bird that circled overhead late yesterday afternoon. A very pale adult red-tail soared past on morning and afternoon reconnaissance. Non-raptor Observations: Three new species for Pack's young season: a double-crested cormorant flew over, beak wide open, around 2:00 pm. Late in the day, an olive-sided flycatcher, cavorting around the top of a dead spruce as if it were a Maypole. And just at the end of the day, in the undergrowth in front of the Observatory, the sighting of one-day-old September: a white-eyed vireo ten feet off. A split-second staredown with its startled corona, homo sapiens blinked, and it was gone again. Predictions: Sweat and swelter. What wind there is will be coming out of the south-west again. Probably not a whole lot of action among migrants. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: NHA Fall Pelagic is On! From: Jon Woolf <jsw AT jwoolfden.com> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:29:36 -0400 Listfolk, I'm pleased to announce that NHA has passed the minimum number of sign-ups for the Fall Pelagic Trip, so the trip WILL GO as scheduled. However, that doesn't mean we've closed registration -- we'll continue taking registrations up to Saturday (Massabesic Center will be closed Sunday and Monday). I've also talked to Captain Pete Reynolds about the weather, and specifically about Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona. Earl should be well past and gone by Tuesday; it may even blow some rarities into the area for us to find. Fiona is currently predicted to be a "fish storm," remaining out in the central Atlantic far south and east of the Gulf of Maine. So it shouldn't be a problem either. On the remote chance that it does prove to be a problem, Pete is agreeable to running the trip a week later, that is Monday Sept 13th. I will keep an eye on the weather and make a final go/no-go decision over the weekend. A brief reminder: WHAT: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic Birding Expedition WHEN: Tuesday, September 7th, the day after Labor Day. WHERE: From Rye Harbor into offshore waters and out to Jeffreys Ledge WHERE TO MEET: Dockside at Rye Harbor, 7:30AM Cost is $65 for NH Audubon members, $85 for non-members. Contact Massabesic Audubon Center (phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org) to sign up. Contact either MAC or me with any questions you might have. -- Jon Woolf Massabesic Audubon Center Program Committee Subject: Krif Rd (Keene) - Tennessee, Thrasher From: "Kenneth Klapper" <kklapper AT antioch.edu> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:32:36 -0400 Tennessee Warbler at Krif Rd rail trail today. Despite the heat I found it just after my first Canada for the day at about 10:30am. Ten warbler species - also had Nashville, Parula, B&W, BT Green, Redstarts, Magnolias, Chestnut-sideds, and Yellowthroats. Also earlier in the day was a Brown Thrasher, my first for southbound migration. Other notables include RT Hummingbird (3), Eastern Wood-Pewee by the Ashuelot River, Eastern Bluebird (4 in the soccer fields), RB Grosbeak (2), Scarlet Tanager (3), and Purple Finch (1). Empid numbers are down compared with last week - only had 3 including a calling Least FC. -Ken Klapper Spofford, NH Subject: Seacoast Audubon program 9/8: The Galapagos Islands: An Evolutionary Wonder From: Dan Hubbard <danielhubbard AT peoplepc.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 15:34:49 -0400 (EDT) Seacoast Chapter, NH Audubon Programs 7:00 pm: refreshments; 7:30 pm: meeting Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Boulevard, Rye. Contact: Dan Hubbard, 332-4093, danielhubbard AT peoplepc.com Program: The Galapagos Islands: An Evolutionary Wonder Wednesday, September 8, 2010 Bob and Dana Fox have traveled the world extensively to observe birds and other wildlife. This program will describe their 2009 trip to the Galapagos Archipelago. ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com Subject: NHA Fall Pelagic is On! From: Jon Woolf <jsw AT jwoolfden.com> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:29:36 -0400 Listfolk, I'm pleased to announce that NHA has passed the minimum number of sign-ups for the Fall Pelagic Trip, so the trip WILL GO as scheduled. However, that doesn't mean we've closed registration -- we'll continue taking registrations up to Saturday (Massabesic Center will be closed Sunday and Monday). I've also talked to Captain Pete Reynolds about the weather, and specifically about Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona. Earl should be well past and gone by Tuesday; it may even blow some rarities into the area for us to find. Fiona is currently predicted to be a "fish storm," remaining out in the central Atlantic far south and east of the Gulf of Maine. So it shouldn't be a problem either. On the remote chance that it does prove to be a problem, Pete is agreeable to running the trip a week later, that is Monday Sept 13th. I will keep an eye on the weather and make a final go/no-go decision over the weekend. A brief reminder: WHAT: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic Birding Expedition WHEN: Tuesday, September 7th, the day after Labor Day. WHERE: From Rye Harbor into offshore waters and out to Jeffreys Ledge WHERE TO MEET: Dockside at Rye Harbor, 7:30AM Cost is $65 for NH Audubon members, $85 for non-members. Contact Massabesic Audubon Center (phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org) to sign up. Contact either MAC or me with any questions you might have. -- Jon Woolf Massabesic Audubon Center Program Committee Subject: Seabirds and Whales trip on September 7, 2010 From: "David Larson" <dlarson AT massaudubon.org> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:45:32 -0400 The Joppa Flats Education Center has teamed with Newburyport Whale Watch to offer a series of trips focusing on both seabirds and marine mammals. The last trip of the summer is scheduled for Tuesday, September 7, the day after Labor Day. I hope you can join us for this excursion! The trips are longer than the usual whale-watch trip and we seek out and stop for seabirds, as well as the whales. I will be onboard to narrate the seabird sightings. Don't miss out on the seabirds (and the cooler temps at sea)! Get on the phone and register by calling Newburyport Whale Watch at 800-848-1111 or register online at http://www.newburyportwhalewatch.com/. Details: Tuesday, September 7, 2010 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Adult: $47 Senior (65+): $42 Child (4-12): $32 See you aboard! Dave -- David M. Larson, Ph.D. Education Coordinator Joppa Flats Education Center Mass Audubon Newburyport, MA 978-462-9998 Subject: Keene Nighthawks From: Clifford Seifer <clifdisc AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:23:54 -0400 Keene had a slightly better than Concord last night on the nighthawk front. Between 6:00-7:15, Ken Klapper and I counted around 125 nighthawks from the head of Green Wagon Farm. The majority were feeding in the valley over the golf course but we also had some feeding over the softball field and some flying overhead. As a reminder, there is a Monadnok Chapter Field Trip to count Nighthawks tonight at 6:00. Meet in the parking lot for Stone Arch Village which is at the western end of Court St, near the 7/11. (We actually watch from the end of the parking lot so show up anytime.) Maybe we will only see two or three nighthawks or maybe we will have a repeat of last night's show with large numbers of nighthawks in sight at all times! -- Cliff Seifer Keene NH Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (31 Aug 2010) 29 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 01 Sep 2010 07:09:44 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 31, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 2 11 11 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 1 3 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk 8 47 47 Cooper's Hawk 2 5 5 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 12 49 49 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 2 15 15 Merlin 2 6 6 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 3 3 Total: 29 143 143 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 10 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Tom Baillio Visitors: Just one person hiked up the Raymond Trail in the heat, a young man, both naturalist and writer, who spent this summer collecting moose bones and inspecting them for the tooth marks of wolves. This in Isle Royal National Park, in the middle of Lake Superior, where wolves arrived in 1958 after the lake froze over--they trotted about 50 miles over ice to reach the island; it holds only about 19 wolves today. Weather: Haze sulking in the lowlands all morning long. By noon, a few windrows of cumulus clouds for the eyes to perch on and migrate by. A wispy breeze all day out of the west, and strong sunshine. Raptor Observations: The Earth has an atmosphere; a rock that enters it at speed flames up like tinder. The eye's atmosphere is even more delicate and the brain's surface is pockmarked with meteoric craters. For our own good, a merlin enters and exits the vision in the same moment--a retina isn't made to register two merlins overhead for any length of time; it becomes a colander. Rocketed straight up against the blue, they are shadows; tail-chasing through the spruces, they are bodies; they move from silhouette to three dimensions like a flat cloud of starlings that suddenly folds in on itself, or a ribbon of Northern Lights that one moment is painted on the sky and the next, a palpable shape in the air. Vast distances are telescoped into a split-second sweep of a wing; canyons dug out in a single stoop; the sky raised by their ascent; and when the gap between the two closes to inches, they make a sound like two ancient ladies tickling each other. Five minutes? Ten minutes? Fifteen minutes of this? You know how quickly a hummingbird goes from motionless in air to gone? These two could have played out their entire dance, two parallel lines courting each other, in that space of time. Step down from your picnic table ledge. Do your knees wobble? Are the waters of your inner ear parted? You are nauseous, and seeing stars; this is the only known vaccine for vertigo. Non-raptor Observations: Black-throated green (3), black-throated blue (3), yellow-rumped (5), and magnolia (1) warblers, and a northern parula. One golden-crowned kinglet in the spruces. Tree swallows and swifts in the air. White- and red-breasted nuthatches; red-eyed vireos and a ruby-throated hummingbird. 45 species of birds up there this past week, and many more to follow. Predictions: Heat: If you're too squeamish to put your feet in a frying pan of ice water, come cool your head in the clouds. WSW winds 5-10 mph. The gate will be open from 8:30 am-5 pm to anyone wanting to drive up the mountain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: Nighthawk Watch -Concord From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 00:37:24 +0000 (UTC) Hardly worth the effort tonight, we only counted 9 from the garage. That means we had more cormorants (10) than nighthawks! It's too hot to sit at this computer up here and there isn't anything else to report. I will be up on the garage throughout the week waiting for the big one. Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: shorebirding yesterday From: eric.masterson AT myfairpoint.net Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:37:39 -0400 Birders: I took a run up the coast yesterday (had to bag Cashes trip). Decent shorebirds (18 sp), highlighted by 2 stilt sands and 5 pectorals in Little River Saltmarsh, a single Bairds at Plaice Cove (thankfully refound by Steve), and eight forsters, first found by Steve and Jane, at Meadow Pond. Pics of Stilt Sands at beyondbirding.wordpress.com Subject: Re: hurricane earl and star island From: Jim Hully <hullyjr AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:26:59 -0400 Hi Eric, Keep a spot for me. Cheers Jim On Aug 31, 2010, at 6:05 PM, eric.masterson AT myfairpoint.net wrote: Folks: Weather permitting, I am chartering the Uncle Oscar for a Star Island trip for next Monday, Labor Day. Hurricane Earl is scheduled to pass Saturday, and if so, the birding might be interesting on Monday. Leave Rye Harbor 8am, leave Star Island 3:15pm. Cost pp will be $40 or less (waiting on pricing). 19 spots available. Please email me offlist if you are interested. Subject: hurricane earl and star island From: eric.masterson AT myfairpoint.net Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:05:00 -0400 Folks: Weather permitting, I am chartering the Uncle Oscar for a Star Island trip for next Monday, Labor Day. Hurricane Earl is scheduled to pass Saturday, and if so, the birding might be interesting on Monday. Leave Rye Harbor 8am, leave Star Island 3:15pm. Cost pp will be $40 or less (waiting on pricing). 19 spots available. Please email me offlist if you are interested. Subject: Carolina Wren, Field Sparrow, warblers, tanager, Powder Mill Pond From: Lillian Stokes <stokesbirds AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:41:20 -0400 Today we had a Carolina wren in our yard and a Field Sparrow. In the last several days we have had Scarlet Tanager Black-throated Green Warbler Prairie Warbler Northern Parula Nashville Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Pileated Woodpecker Osprey Sharp-shinned Hawk Double-crested Cormorant and no Common Nighthawks! Lillian and Don Stokes Powder Mill Pond Hancock Subject: Y-b Fly and Sw Thrush in Webster From: RAQbirds AT aol.com Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:49:26 EDT This morning, August 31, was a very productive one at my house on Call Road, Webster. At least before I had to hit the office. The highlights included: Yellow-bellied Fly- one that provided a nice long look. The yellow throat and wingbars are more important than the yellow belly (which is not truly a field mark), especially at this time of the year. Swainson's Thrush- another obliging look Red-eyed Vireo- at least eight Blue-headed Vireo- at least three (the first ones in two weeks) ten species of warblers including: Northern Parula- two, uncommon here Black-th Blue- two, one was a singing male Black-th Green- at least eight Bay-breasted - one Blackpoll- one Blackburnian- at least four Scarlet Tanager- two males with virtually no red left on them R-b Grosbeak- a very washed out looking male that was singing. Saturday, Aug 29 during an early hour along Call Road (my road) in Webster: cuckoo species- odd cuckoo sounds Magnolia W- four Black-th Green- 13 B&W Warbler- five. One of these was flycatching from a telephone wire for several minutes (!), taking advantage of an insect hatch. Essentially all of the above were either in my yard or within 100 yards of it. Bob Quinn Webster, NH Subject: Pied-billed Grebe Pittsfield From: AERART AT aol.com Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:45 EDT I had a Pied-billed Grebe in the Suncook River in Pittsfield on August 30. Andrea Robbins Subject: NH Coast (Baird's Sandpiper, Forster's Terns) From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:53:19 -0400 A late start after a weekend of pelagic birding, Jane and I hit the coast in the heat of the afternoon. Highlights: FORSTER'S TERN - 9. Amazing numbers continue. Particularly for date. Includes 4 in Meadow Pond (Eric had 8 here!!), 3 at Concord Point, 1 at Ragged Neck and 1 at Seal Rocks. Those that I could safely age (3 or 4) were juveniles. Birds heard vocalizing in Meadow Pond. In a search of New Hampshire Bird Records data, the highest previous August total was 3 birds! Roseate Tern - 3 at Concord Point. Very few Common Terns were present along coast with probably fewer than 20 total. BAIRD'S SANDPIPER - 1 juvenile on beach near rocks at Plaice Cove point. Thanks to Eric for this one. Whimbrel - 4 (juveniles?) in Henry's Pool. Ruddy Turnstone - 11. Includes 4 juveniles (first juves of year) Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover - Juveniles (first juves of year) Steve & Jane Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: RE: Coastal shorebirding: Whimbrels and more From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:25:44 -0400 I've posted some rather poor images from various stops on Jon's field trip at http://www.kevinklasman.com/nh_audubon_basic_shorebirds_fieldtrip. I'm fairly certain of the Least Sandpiper's (based on the greenish legs) but not so sure about Semipalmated Sandpiper, a possible Western Sandpiper (based on the more rusty color) and the Sanderling. Using the knowledge gained from Jon's workshop, I returned on Sunday in better light and with my 500mm lens and a tripod and captured some somewhat better shots. Images from Rye Harbor, Henry's Pool and Hampton Marina can be found at http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/nh_seacoast_20100829. I got to Henry's Pool just as low tide turned and it was fun watching the yellowlegs, cormorants and snowy egrets follow the tide as it came rushing in. I can't really tell the yellowlegs apart, although I do have one image that looks like 1 lesser and a few greaters http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/image/127979349. And then there's this sandpiper species with a decurved bill and gray legs. See http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/image/127979342 and a few of the following images. (Close crop here http://www.pbase.com/image/127984591.) I'd almost guess Whimbrel (which we saw on Saturday) but the bill looks too short and the throat too plain. This image shows what looks like (to me) to be 2 peep species, based on color and tail pattern. http://www.pbase.com/image/127983979. 2 westerns and a semipalmated? ID corrections much appreciated. Kevin Klasman Nature Photographer http://www.kevinklasman.com http://OnHeronPond.com (blog) -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Jon Woolf Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 5:47 PM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Coastal shorebirding: Whimbrels and more I led a group of eight birders on a shorebirding expedition this morning, with Len Medlock and JoAnn O'Shaughnessy adding their knowledge of coastal hotspots to the mix. We started at Odiorne Point State Park and then moved south, stopping here and there before winding up at Hampton Harbor. We got very nice looks at a bunch of different shorebirds, starting with 4 unexpected Whimbrels at Odiorne and ending with Black-bellied Plovers at Hampton Harbor. We also got looks at several good non-shorebirds, starting with a Black Guillemot at Odiorne Point and finishing with an appearance from the Hampton Peregrine chasing a peep above Henry's Pool. 12 species of shorebirds were seen: WHIMBREL - 4 in the tiderocks at Odiorne Point Spotted Sandpiper Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Short-billed Dowitcher Black-bellied Plover White-rumped Sandpiper Sanderling Both sizes of yellowlegs were present at Henry's Pool, giving great comparison looks at the two species. Lots of fun to watch the Greater Yellowlegs plowing through the deep water, fishing. Other birds (21 species): Red-tailed Hawk -- a beautiful adult at Odiorne Point, working the trees between the Science Center building and the playground area. Blue Jay Crow Goldfinch Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Common Eider Double-crested Cormorant Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Common Tern Black Guillemot (juvenile) Snowy Egret Great Blue Heron Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Peregrine Falcon Rock Dove Roseate Tern Starling Northern Mockingbird Total for the day: 33 species -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (30 Aug 2010) 30 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 30 Aug 2010 23:08:15 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 30, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 0 9 9 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 0 2 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 9 39 39 Cooper's Hawk 1 3 3 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 14 37 37 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 4 13 13 Merlin 0 4 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 1 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 3 3 Total: 30 114 114 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 9 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Tom Baillio Visitors: An early-morning walker with a fantastic five-foot walking stick hollowed and holed exactly like some giant flute. To play it you'd need fingers like Paul Bunyan's and the breath of the Old Man of the Mountain. He doesn't know how it works, he says, so he takes it on walks. Talk about resonant: you could hear the rocks echoing through it, even when he'd gone a quarter mile off into the woods. Weather: Stare too long at a blue sky and you get a kind of scurvy of the eyes, as if you've been becalmed at sea for days and days. But then you rest them on the spruces, mountains, horizon-lines--it's hard to wish for clouds. Great visibility, a faithful breeze from the west, and the trees just now showing signs of changing. Raptor Observations: With the first of the adult broad-wings passing, traditional field marks weren't necessary--this one was scratching his beak with a talon while in a glide, and no way could a youngster handle that kind of multi-tasking. The sight of the day was a Cooper's backlit by sun, half-translucent, calling: a hoarse, clipped, pleading scrawch, "ree-aw, ree-ew," like a two-part telephone ringing in an empty house. Two sharpies briefly went into freefall during a spectacular dogfight, but immediately joined forces to harrass a female kestrel who was minding her own business. Chivalry, alive and well. Non-raptor Observations: A pine warbler and a blue-winged warbler, making like two yellow pinecones in the spruces. More little volleys of swifts, cedar waxwings, and monarch butterflies. Blue-darter dragonflies in some ecstatic feeding frenzy, but one falling prey to a kestrel, and eaten 500 feet above the Observatory late in the day. Higher and faster, a silvery aluminum-foil balloon, a guest at the wind's birthday party. (Also celebrating a milestone for Pack? If our 10,000th raptor deserves a champagne toast, some bad boxed wine may be in order for this young season's 100th...) Predictions: Duck under a contrail if you want some shade, the blue is relentless and beautiful. WNW winds 5-10 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: Eagles at Lake Massabesic in Manchester From: loonphotog AT comcast.net Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:05:46 +0000 (UTC) While out kayaking around 7:30 this morning on Lake Massabesic in Manchester, I got to see both an adult and a juvenile Bald Eagle. The juvenile Bald Eagle was nice enough to pose for a few close ups! http://www.flickr.com/photos/45983258 AT N08/4943923494/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/45983258 AT N08/4943923354/ B B John Rockwood B B B B Auburn, NH B B B B B B loonphotog AT comcast.net B B B B www.oegallery.com/NaturePhotosByJohnRockwood B B B B B B www.theloonmannh.net B B www.natureforalltosee.net Subject: Nighahwk Watch - Concord From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:52:21 +0000 (UTC) Well, it was plenty hot, and nighthawks move when it's hot, don't they? But somehow we are getting 90 degree weather with Northwest winds! We need a meteorologist on staff to explain this. Tonight some birds were feeding and some were on the move but their combined numbers only reached 35. No flying ants were present. Is that because of the drought? Are they holding out? Nonetheless, I remain resolved to see big numbers of nighthawks this year, and so I will maintain my vigil on the garage through the week. Who knows what will turn up! Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: Olive-sided Flycatcher/Amherst/ Bald Eagle, Nashua From: Chris Sheridan <cmsbirds AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:08:44 +0000 (UTC) Highlights of a trip to Ponemah Bog Sunday included: Olive-sided Flycatcher (a first for me.) Green Heron, hatch year bird, out on the lily pads. It first played "Bittern" with its beak in the air and googly eyes staring, then it relaxed, and we spent a companionable half an hour or so sunning ourselves, scratching and peering around till a Cooper's Hawk convinced it to find a more sheltered location. Coopers, Broadwing and Red-tailed Hawks, and six Turkey Vultures. Eastern Phoebes and Song Sparrows hawking insects. (replacing the Eastern Kingbirds, Swallows and Chimney Swifts of two weeks ago.) Only a few Cedar Waxwings. Two Solitary Sandpipers (calling as they flew out of the bog) and a Spotted Sandpiper. Fifteen or so Peeps. Maybe more, the Cooper's wasn't constantly scaring them up into the air and they're hard to see on the lily mat. A swing by Cemetery Fields turned up only two Sharp-shinned Hawks swooping and circling together, very lovely. And an American Robin clucking a warning. (No sparrows at all sighted there, or Bobolinks.) A brief look around the Hertzka Drive/Northern Boulevard area revealed little but the female American Kestrel (resident bird) on her favorite wire. (I suspect I've missed the staging of E. Kingbirds, Barn Swallows, and Killdeer that happens there in August, didn't see one, or a Nighthawk, Savannah Sparrow, or Prairie Warbler.) Today, just at 8:00 am, a Bald Eagle was flying down the Nashua River towards the Merrimack. I didn't get a good look at the details of its plumage, but it appeared very dark all over. Chris Sheridan Nashua Subject: some Carroll County sightings From: AERART AT aol.com Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:05:55 EDT Here are some of our recent, notable bird records for Carroll County. Some of these are from past weeks ( we haven't had access to a computer for a couple of weeks! ) August 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Freedom, Berry Bay August 3 Greater Yellowlegs Black-bellied Plover Flyover -- Freedom, Berry Bay Great Black-backed Gull Ossipee, Leavitt Bay August 4 3 Merlin (2 adults, one juvenile) on Blueberry Island in Leavitt Bay, Ossipee The 3 were present, territorially on this island throughout the month. There is a possible nest on the island, but we aren't positive if that was the nest they used. August 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker Conway, Dolloff Hill Rd, Dollof Pond August 8 3 Willow Flycatcher East Conway, Sherman Farm August 16 PALM WARBLER (yellow) VERY EARLY fall DATE Gravel pit near Freedom Woodyard/ TNC West Branch Pine Barrens on Ossipee Lake Rd, Ossipee 2 Cliff Swallow TNC West Branch Pine Barrens August 17 Tennessee Warbler Freedom Town Forest, Ossipee Lake Rd. August 20 2 Barred Owl Freedom, Berry Bay August 23 Swainson's Thrush Freedom, Berry Bay August 24 Solitary Sandpiper Olive-sided Flycatcher Ruby-crowned Kinglet Philadelphia Vireo 2 Tennessee Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Freedom Town Forest, Ossipee Lake Rd. 8 Common Nighthawk Philadelphia Vireo Freedom, Berry Bay August 26 2 Common Nighthawk BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (our farthest north record for NH - however, they are known to nest at Brownfield Bog in Maine which is slightly further north) Philadelphia Vireo 5 Tennessee Warbler 2 Prairie Warbler 1 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL Freedom Town Forest, Ossipee Lake Rd. (( with the addition of Gnatcatcher and WW X-bill that brings our species total for the Freedom Town Forest -- since 2007-- to 137 species)) August 27 Philadelphia Vireo 6 Blackburnian Warbler 5 Prairie Warbler 2 Cape May Warbler 2 Palm Warbler Freedom Town Forest, Ossipee Lake Rd. August 28 Red-shouldered Hawk Freedom, Berry Bay Wilson's Warbler Evening Grosbeak Effingham, Huntress Bridge Rd. Olive-sided Flycatcher Effingham, Ryefield Rd Andrea and George Robbins Pittsfield, NH Subject: RE: A couple of Pittsburg birds From: "Sheila Oranch" <Sheila AT coppertoppe.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:35:10 -0400 Pamela, we have a variety of dragonflies around our pond and this big specimen was resting on the underside of our balcony. Can you identify it for me? Sheila ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coppertoppe Inn & Retreat Center Your deluxe B&B retreat on Newfound Lake! Sheila Oranch sheila AT coppertoppe.com Bill Powers bill AT coppertoppe.com Shared email info AT coppertoppe.com 8 Range Road, Hebron, NH 03241 (603) 744-3636 or toll free (866) 846-3636 www.coppertoppe.com or visit http://tinyurl.com/CoppertoppeFBpage -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of PAMELA HUNT Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 7:41 PM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: A couple of Pittsburg birds Greetings all, A group of us (Jason Lambert, Hilly Grant, Larry Potter, Alison van Keuren, and myself) were in Pittsburg yesterday looking for dragonflies for the NH Dragonfly Survey, and found a few species of note. Highlight was a female Spruce Grouse at South Bay Bog. The bird was flushed by one participant and seen well by three others as it flew along the forest edge. Also at the bog were at least four Boreal Chickadees (none seen) and a single Gray Jay. This bog is located below the south end of First Connecticut Lake, and accessible only via a 3.5 mile gated road. We were lucky to drive in under the auspices of the NH Dragonfly survey. Our reward of an entomological nature was the third state record of an Incurvate Emerald, previously recorded in Kingston and Albany! We camped at the Mountain View Campground at Happy Corner, and both Sat/Sun mornings there were a few migrants about. Best was Cape May Warbler, with one Saturday and two Sunday. Other warblers in rough order of abundance were of BT Green, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll, Am. Redstart, and Chestnut-sided. At night, lots of Swainson's Thrushes were heard calling overhead. On the way to Pittsburg, we noted that the Colebrook water treatment plan has a lot of potential. There are two ponds here, and in general the site resembles the Exeter WTP. For waterfowl we had 30+ Wood Ducks, 12 Mallards, and single Black Ducks and GW Teal. Two Least Sandpipers and a male Harrier were also noteworthy. Access is off Lynch Road to the north of downtown Colebrook, but we can't guarantee the gate being open. It was on Friday. If the gate is closed, you should be able to see any waterfowl from the overgrown RR bed that runs along the east side of the facility. Anyone heading north in spring and fall might want to check this site out, since its location near the Connecticut River could make it attractive to any manner of birds! Enjoy, Pam Hunt Penacook, NH [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type image/jpeg which had a name of 2010-08-28 big dragon fly4.JPG] Subject: nighthawks in Derry From: byrder101 <byrder101 AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:37:12 -0400 Hi Took the dog for a walk around the block at 6:30 yesterday and saw at least 8 or 9 nighthawks circling above what was once a farm at the end of my street. Hard to count because of the trees. Most I have seen at one time here for many many years. And this was in Derry for sure! Sorry about the egret post -thought I was still in Derry on rte 28. Barb Horton Derry Subject: Just in time for fall migration! From: "Susan Fogleman" <sfogleman AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:42:33 -0400 A Free Silhouette Guide to Hawks Seen in North America A free silhouette "Guide to Hawks Seen in North America" is now available from the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) at www.hmana.org. The two-page guide helps you compare the shape and key field marks of 21 species of migratory hawks seen throughout most of North America. To keep everything relatively simple and on two pages, only the adults of most species are shown. The guide is a handy field reference for all hawk watchers, and a great start for beginning hawk watchers. This new guide is a significant revision and expansion of the "Guide to Hawks Seen in the North East" introduced in 2008, adding Mississippi Kite, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and adult male Northern Harrier, as well as other new images and additional field marks. The guide is designed and illustrated by Paul Carrier, the artist who conceived and developed the popular, ground-breaking silhouette guide to hawks in the 1970s, as well as the recent "Guide to Hawks Seen in the North East" (also available for free download on the HMANA web site, as is a free PowerPoint presentation: Identifying Hawks of the Northeast ). "A Guide to Hawks Seen in North America" is available in two forms: * A downloadable PDF for single-copy printout for personal, non-commercial use. * A professionally printed copy on durable card stock laminated for long-term use in the field. Individual laminated copies cost $5.00 each + $1 S/H. Special bulk prices are also available on the web site. Hawk watches, bird clubs, schools, nature shops, or any other organization can raise funds and help educate their constituents about hawk identification by purchasing the guide in bulk quantity at wholesale prices. Proceeds from individual and bulk sales support HMANA's effort to promote research, education, and conservation regarding our birds of prey. For complete information, including bulk pricing, and to order or download the new guide, visit www.hmana.org Subject: Last Saturday From: "Chet" <c_farwell AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:17:46 -0400 While trying to locate my car last Saturday (08-21-2010 ~ Westfield, MA) after an Air Show, I happened upon this guy sitting on a fence at a cemetery. I could have touched it. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/4940098056/ Chet Dover, NH USA http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/ **GBA~~~ Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (29 Aug 2010) 13 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 29 Aug 2010 21:08:41 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 29, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 1 9 9 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 0 2 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 30 30 Cooper's Hawk 1 2 2 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 4 23 23 Red-tailed Hawk 0 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 9 9 Merlin 1 4 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 2 2 Total: 13 84 84 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 10 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Ann Preston, David Ross Visitors: Do birds look different on the last day of summer? School starts up tomorrow, and somehow kids seemed especially eager to jam their whole eyes into the spotting scope and leave them there forever. 35 visitors. Weather: It would take a hundred-dollar hat to keep you cool on a day like this. High skies, a feeble breeze from the west. Low haze heavy at times. Raptor Observations: While the pious were away at Sunday prayers, a pair of agnostic goshawks were grappling talons like a couple of crazies. The squabble-game began above the Observatory and continued all the over to the North Pack ridge line. Delinquents they may be, but in their pale immature plumage, they outdress any preacher. The young broad-wings, too, were sailing around (and vocal) much of the day. Few migrants, but an osprey drifting high overhead, and a male kestrel showing off the track lighting on the trailing edge of his underwings--these filled the sky right up. Non-raptor Observations: A magnolia warbler and two red-eyed vireos were bouncing around a high oak when a single white plume floated down past them--one branch up, soaking in a shaft of dawn-light, a red-tail with eyes the color of caramelized onions, preening away. Chimney swifts, cedar waxwings, ruby-throated hummingbirds (four of each), a single tree swallow, and a swallowtail butterfly all out to outnature Nature. Predictions: Another crystal-clear scorcher. Northwest winds 5-10 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: Nighthawk Watch - Concord From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:18:49 +0000 (UTC) A bunch of us washed down banana cream pie with ice cold cider atop the garage tonight - living the good life while counting the nighthawks. I'm working on a theory that it isn't wind direction that is so important as temperature. Maybe it isn't southerly winds that bring them out but just warm temperatures that bring out the flying ants, and, nighthawks. Today was in the nineties but we did not see flying ants. They were coming out at Turkey Pond this morning but not tonight. Winds were light out of the west. Birds were everywhere and after subtracting duplicates, adding straight flyers, dividing by 2 and carrying the one I end up with a conservative total of 66. The best night so far but far from a big push. The forecast is for continuing high temperatures in the nineties through Thurs but no southerly winds. I believe the peak is yet to come and it will probably happen tomorrow. ( I really don't have a clue when it will happen.) I will be up on the garage all week so stop by and see for yourself. Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: A couple of Pittsburg birds From: "PAMELA HUNT" <biodiva AT myfairpoint.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:40:55 -0400 Greetings all, A group of us (Jason Lambert, Hilly Grant, Larry Potter, Alison van Keuren, and myself) were in Pittsburg yesterday looking for dragonflies for the NH Dragonfly Survey, and found a few species of note. Highlight was a female Spruce Grouse at South Bay Bog. The bird was flushed by one participant and seen well by three others as it flew along the forest edge. Also at the bog were at least four Boreal Chickadees (none seen) and a single Gray Jay. This bog is located below the south end of First Connecticut Lake, and accessible only via a 3.5 mile gated road. We were lucky to drive in under the auspices of the NH Dragonfly survey. Our reward of an entomological nature was the third state record of an Incurvate Emerald, previously recorded in Kingston and Albany! We camped at the Mountain View Campground at Happy Corner, and both Sat/Sun mornings there were a few migrants about. Best was Cape May Warbler, with one Saturday and two Sunday. Other warblers in rough order of abundance were of BT Green, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll, Am. Redstart, and Chestnut-sided. At night, lots of Swainson's Thrushes were heard calling overhead. On the way to Pittsburg, we noted that the Colebrook water treatment plan has a lot of potential. There are two ponds here, and in general the site resembles the Exeter WTP. For waterfowl we had 30+ Wood Ducks, 12 Mallards, and single Black Ducks and GW Teal. Two Least Sandpipers and a male Harrier were also noteworthy. Access is off Lynch Road to the north of downtown Colebrook, but we can't guarantee the gate being open. It was on Friday. If the gate is closed, you should be able to see any waterfowl from the overgrown RR bed that runs along the east side of the facility. Anyone heading north in spring and fall might want to check this site out, since its location near the Connecticut River could make it attractive to any manner of birds! Enjoy, Pam Hunt Penacook, NH Subject: Nashua Nighthawks From: nanseagold AT aol.com Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:38:30 -0400 Tonight around 5:45 about 10 or 12 common nighthawks flew quite quickly over my house in northwest Nashua. Their wing bars?were striking. Subject: Angels(Blue) & Aerials(Peregrine)-Portsmouth From: thomas hadley <shadoobe AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:32:14 -0400 While hauling lobster gear around PSNH's Schiller Station on Saturday afternoon 8/28 I got to experience up close and impersonal the dramatic flight performance of the Navy's Blue Angel flight team during the air show being held at Pease. My location seemed to have placed me on the flight path for their displays and for the minutes I was there the war birds repeatedly rocketed loudly by in extremely close formation at low altitude. During one pass I had the good fortune to look up just as a Peregrine was clipping along above my boat. It passed up and over the power plant where it flushed pigeons from the roof, harassing them for a bit before continuing on upriver. Tom Hadley Subject: Red-necked Phalaraope From: c-swenson AT comcast.net Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:16:54 +0000 (UTC) Just an FYI - I know I never post, but tI thought this was of interest, very surprised to find a Red-necked Phalarope on Baboosic Lake in Merrimack yesterday. Saw it on three different occasions, last time was able to observe for about 10 mins. from 10-15 feet away. Have some lousy pictures that I will have Len Medlock look at tomorrow. Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (28 Aug 2010) 21 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 28 Aug 2010 22:08:21 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 28, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 2 8 8 Bald Eagle 0 1 1 Northern Harrier 1 2 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 26 26 Cooper's Hawk 0 1 1 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 10 19 19 Red-tailed Hawk 1 1 1 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 8 8 Merlin 0 3 3 Peregrine Falcon 1 1 1 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 1 1 Total: 21 71 71 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 16:30:00 Total observation time: 10 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Visitors: Seventy-five people stopped to watch, twenty of them present for the peregrine theophany. India, Australia, and Britain all sent ambassadors. A number of small children were exploited throughout the day for the labor of their excellent eyes. Many thanks to the Boy Scouts and their fearless leaders for their chainsaw/axe/hatchet efforts; the view is greatly improved. Weather: High skies, balmy air, WNW winds under 10 mph. No need to worry, it's still summer. Raptor Observations: The boy who cried wolf got what was coming to him, but the boy who cried "Turkey Vulture!" for the fifth time was showered with praise, because the lean blue shadow he was pointing at was an adult female (Eastern) peregrine, a flying case of knives, a ripple of dark air. She razzle-dazzled directly over the Observatory for a couple minutes, gaining tremendous height in no time and using it to stoop a couple of those same TVs that the six-year-old birder was so enamoured of. Mid-air inversions, scything swipes, full teardrop plummets below the level of the peak--she went through her whole repetoire. (Julie and Phil, consider your marriage propitiated.) After some terrifying passes at the vultures, she finished by catching a dragonfly and eating it on the wing. Pictures of this, hopefully, will be forthcoming from visitor Rob Madaglia, who happened by at the right moment with his telephoto lens, and will henceforth carry it wherever he goes. An osprey coming overhead an hour later got only half the oohs and aahs he deserved--the show was already stolen. In local news, the juv. goshawk made another fine appearance, as did the neighborhood broad-wing duo, kee-keeing in falsetto. Late in the day, the adult red-tail did a high-frequency-sine-curve display flight, seemingly for the sheer joy of a summer afternoon's sake. Non-raptor Observations: A scarlet tanager in winter plumage (a seasickly green tuxedo); a lone barn swallow; black-throated green, black-throated blue warblers; about ten yellow-rumps presiding over the (slightly lowered) spruce line; the first five monarch butterflies ascending for who knows where. Predictions: Hot and sunny. WNW winds 5-10 mph. Birds should be coming at this same steady trickle. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: Pickering Ponds trails bird walk, Sept. 4 From: Dan Hubbard <danielhubbard AT peoplepc.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:35:46 -0400 (EDT) I will be leading a bird walk at the Pickering Ponds trails in Rochester on Sept.4. We will meet at the parking lot at 8:00 AM and bird for as long as anyone chooses. Please e-mail me at danielhubbard AT peoplepc.com or call 332-4093 if you need directions or have any questions. Dan Hubbard, Rochester ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com Subject: harrier, warblers, Durham, shorebirds on Landing Road From: Kurk Dorsey <kd AT cisunix.unh.edu> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:44:08 -0400 (EDT) Birders The park on Fogg Lane in Durham was devoid of people this morning but full of birds (39 spp.). Highlights included- --Black-throated Blue in all his glory --a Blue-winged Warbler in the same --2 Northern Parulas --Scarlet Tanager flycatching Later in the morning, I stopped briefly at West Foss Farm, where the highlight was a Harrier cruising over the large open field. There was also an odd warbler, mostly drab brown, two wing bars, just a hint of yellow on the throat. I would have chalked it up as a Pine Warbler without thought, but it was perched on a telephone pole in the middle of the same field then fled to an alder. I concluded that it was a young and rebellious Pine Warbler who desires to be just a Common Yellowthroat. Later I had the opportunity for a brief stop at Landing Road off 101 in Hampton. There were 3-4 white-rumps in with the hordes of semi-palms, and a couple of other common species. I also had one that had me thinking Western, but I was limited by my talent, not a falcon! Kurk Dorsey Durham Subject: Coast and more (Baird's SP, Forster's Tern, etc,) From: Lauren Kras <lauren.kras AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:03:30 -0400 Ben Griffith and I prodded around the coast this morning and spent some time checking the "normal" spots and checking some of the underchecked areas like South Mill Pond in Portsmouth where we had a lot of shorebirds (until a Peregrine Falcon spoiled the party). Highlights included 2 Whimbrel in Henry's Pool, 1 Baird's Sandpiper in Hampton Harbor, and a Forster's Tern in the Piscataqua River. Here's a break down of some of the numbers/estimates of numbers at a few different spots we checked: Location: Henrys Pool American Bittern 1 Black-bellied Plover 5 Semipalmated Plover 30 Greater Yellowlegs 20 Willet 10 Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Whimbrel 2 Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper 150 Least Sandpiper 20 Short-billed Dowitcher 25 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Hampton Harbor area, Seabrook-Hampton Black-bellied Plover 40 Semipalmated Plover 100+ Killdeer 5 Greater Yellowlegs 50+ Willet 20 Lesser Yellowlegs 5+ Ruddy Turnstone 2 Sanderling 100 Semipalmated Sandpiper 1000+ Least Sandpiper 20 White-rumped Sandpiper 2 Baird's Sandpiper 1 Short-billed Dowitcher 50+ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Location: South Mill Pond, Portsmouth Notes: *underchecked spot!!!* Snowy Egret 8 Peregrine Falcon 1 Greater Yellowlegs 10 Sanderling 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper 225 Least Sandpiper 2 Semipalmated/Western Sandpiper 1 a possible Western Sandpiper seen briefly before the Peregrine spoiled our fun ---------------------------------------------------------------- Other random birds: American Kestrel 1 on 108 in Durham Laughing Gull 3 along the coast Forster's Tern 1 at Dover Point Common Tern 100 at Dover Point (lots elsewhere along the coast too - but a nice concentration continues at the mouth of Little Bay and the Piscataqua River) Lauren Kras Newmarket, NH Subject: Coastal shorebirding: Whimbrels and more From: Jon Woolf <jsw AT jwoolfden.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:46:44 -0400 I led a group of eight birders on a shorebirding expedition this morning, with Len Medlock and JoAnn O'Shaughnessy adding their knowledge of coastal hotspots to the mix. We started at Odiorne Point State Park and then moved south, stopping here and there before winding up at Hampton Harbor. We got very nice looks at a bunch of different shorebirds, starting with 4 unexpected Whimbrels at Odiorne and ending with Black-bellied Plovers at Hampton Harbor. We also got looks at several good non-shorebirds, starting with a Black Guillemot at Odiorne Point and finishing with an appearance from the Hampton Peregrine chasing a peep above Henry's Pool. 12 species of shorebirds were seen: WHIMBREL - 4 in the tiderocks at Odiorne Point Spotted Sandpiper Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Short-billed Dowitcher Black-bellied Plover White-rumped Sandpiper Sanderling Both sizes of yellowlegs were present at Henry's Pool, giving great comparison looks at the two species. Lots of fun to watch the Greater Yellowlegs plowing through the deep water, fishing. Other birds (21 species): Red-tailed Hawk -- a beautiful adult at Odiorne Point, working the trees between the Science Center building and the playground area. Blue Jay Crow Goldfinch Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Common Eider Double-crested Cormorant Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Common Tern Black Guillemot (juvenile) Snowy Egret Great Blue Heron Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Peregrine Falcon Rock Dove Roseate Tern Starling Northern Mockingbird Total for the day: 33 species -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH Subject: Friday afternoon whale watch From: Cliff Otto <ottoc.bb.etc AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:00:40 -0400 Took the afternoon trip with Granite State on Friday...no pelagics...well, a flock of 25-30 Wilson's Storm Petrels and a handful of solitary ones but the whales were plentiful--seven Sei, a couple of fins, a juvenile Humpback. When we got back to the harbor about one-half hour before low tide, I found a couple of Yellowlegs (I believe Greater) foraging along the shoreline to the right of the boat dock (as I was facing the ocean) and a Great Blue Heron was fishing in the shallow water to the left. Also, on the way to Rye Harbor, I saw several egrets towards the top end of Eel Pond, as well as a swan. Both species were too far away for me to identify although the swan looked monstrous (height) compared to the egrets. Cliff Otto Manchester Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (27 Aug 2010) 11 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 27 Aug 2010 21:08:26 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 27, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 3 6 6 Bald Eagle 1 1 1 Northern Harrier 1 1 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 22 22 Cooper's Hawk 0 1 1 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 1 9 9 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 1 7 7 Merlin 1 3 3 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 11 50 50 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 17:00:00 Total observation time: 11 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Carl Von Mertens, Francie Von Mertens Visitors: A man on his way from Maine to Albany stopped by to say of the White Mountains, "But they're blue!" Two boys each with a 30x pocket spyglass poo-poohed a pair of birding binoculars and claimed to see finches hopping in the yard of a house three miles away. They probably did. About 30 visitors all told, not including the pair of asthmatic daschunds. Weather: A nice day. West wind 5-10. A lot of blue in the binoculars. Raptor Observations: The west side of Pack is home to a pair of immature thug broad-wings that belong in an Antonio Banderas movie. They come out of the woods with full crops around 9:00 am and dive-bomb everything in sight--TVs, ravens, each other. And if you're carrying 10x42s, they'll come after you, too. They perch right in front of the Observatory and aren't bashful about it. As if that weren't enough trouble in the neighborhood, North Pack has a sharp-shin that stands guard all day long, harrassing migrants--osprey, kestrel, harrier, every passerby gets the same treatment. All but one, that is: Francie and Carl brought in the first bald eagle of the season, a gorgeous adult bird coasting by on set wings. It was followed shortly thereafter by a female harrier, lower but on the same flight path, pursued by the sharpie. Non-raptor Observations: Ten gregarious ravens were the first large birds in the air. Before them, fourteen Am. Robins, a Northern Flicker, black-throated green warbler, and a chimney swift nostalgic for a chimney. RT Hummingbirds motored by all day at eye level--some zipping back toward the north, making an exact census impossible--but the straight southward zips far outnumbered them: between ten and fifteen different birds, maybe. Predictions: Sunny, and the sun still burns. Bring your Panama hat. Winds should be out of the NW, 5-10 mph, very auspicious for Julie and Phil's wedding day. The Boy Scouts will be cutting and trimming a few trees (with chain-saws, not ornaments) around the Observatory in the morning. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (26 Aug 2010) 32 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 27 Aug 2010 20:08:27 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 26, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 3 3 3 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 0 0 0 Sharp-shinned Hawk 16 19 19 Cooper's Hawk 1 1 1 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 8 8 8 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 4 6 6 Merlin 0 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 32 39 39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 9 hours Official Counter: Henry Walters Observers: Tom Baillio Visitors: 23 hikers of various fortitudes, not one lazy good-for-nothing, all of them glad to emerge from cabin fevers after three days of gloom. Weather: Yesterday's rain came back up as fog, finally clearing about 9:30. West winds 10-15 mph in the morning, but calmer and hazier in the afternoon, and no birds in the sky. 65 degrees in the shade. Raptor Observations: Eight broad-wings and a couple of sharpies got vacuumed up into the blue around 10:00--a short-lived, apparently anomalous kettle. Not one, not two, but three osprey came over the horizon at the bidding of Tom Baillio; he asked, then received, the way a backgammon pro can call at will for double sixes. Good looks at sharpies and kestrels between 10-12. Non-raptor Observations: Pair of ravens clucking to each other in a very musical African tongue. Cape May and black-throated green warblers among some chickadees in an early-morning flock. Male and female hummingbirds trying to siphon some nectar from a bit of orange flagging flowering out of a spruce. Chipmunk and red squirrel eat much of the counter's lunch, against his will. Predictions: Pure sun, highs in the 70s, west winds 5-10 mph. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Henry Walters (walters.henry AT gmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic - Last Chance From: Jon Woolf <jsw AT jwoolfden.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:40:30 -0400 Listfolk, LAST CHANCE to sign up for NH Audubon's fall Pelagic Birding Trip. WHAT: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic Birding Expedition WHEN: Tuesday, September 7th, the day after Labor Day. WHERE: From Rye Harbor into offshore waters and out to Jeffreys Ledge WHERE TO MEET: Dockside at Rye Harbor, 7:30AM We plan to depart from Rye Harbor about 8:00AM aboard the MV _Granite State_, and spend the day at sea, returning to port between 5:00 and 5:30PM. Steve Mirick will lead us in searching the waters along Jeffreys Ledge for whatever seabirds and other interesting things we can find. Like last year, we've chosen a date that will (hopefully) be relatively easy on people's schedules: Tuesday September 7th, the day after Labor Day. We need a minimum of 30 people to pay for the trip. At the moment we only have 22 signed up. We MUST get at least 8 more by next Thursday, Sept 2nd, or we'll be forced to cancel. Cost is $65 for NH Audubon members, $85 for non-members. Contact Massabesic Audubon Center (phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org) to sign up. Contact either MAC or me with any questions you might have. See you on board! -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH (Massabesic Audubon Center Programming Committee) Subject: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic - Last Chance From: Jon Woolf <jsw AT jwoolfden.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:40:30 -0400 Listfolk, LAST CHANCE to sign up for NH Audubon's fall Pelagic Birding Trip. WHAT: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic Birding Expedition WHEN: Tuesday, September 7th, the day after Labor Day. WHERE: From Rye Harbor into offshore waters and out to Jeffreys Ledge WHERE TO MEET: Dockside at Rye Harbor, 7:30AM We plan to depart from Rye Harbor about 8:00AM aboard the MV _Granite State_, and spend the day at sea, returning to port between 5:00 and 5:30PM. Steve Mirick will lead us in searching the waters along Jeffreys Ledge for whatever seabirds and other interesting things we can find. Like last year, we've chosen a date that will (hopefully) be relatively easy on people's schedules: Tuesday September 7th, the day after Labor Day. We need a minimum of 30 people to pay for the trip. At the moment we only have 22 signed up. We MUST get at least 8 more by next Thursday, Sept 2nd, or we'll be forced to cancel. Cost is $65 for NH Audubon members, $85 for non-members. Contact Massabesic Audubon Center (phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org) to sign up. Contact either MAC or me with any questions you might have. See you on board! -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH (Massabesic Audubon Center Programming Committee) Subject: eagle From: "sylviasmiskoe AT aol.com" <sylviasmiskoe@aol.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:56:09 -0400 I took my Grandsons on the Sophie C mailboat out of Weirs Beach yesterday. As we approached Cow Island I saw a large dark bird soaring. First look with binocs had a white rump, 2nd look had a white head. One of the Island residents said this was one of 2 eagles. Exciting. Sylvia Miskoe, Concord -----Original Message----- From: New Hampshire Birds To: New Hampshire Birds Sent: Fri, Aug 27, 2010 4:32 am Subject: NH.BIRDS digest 6058 NH.BIRDS Digest 6058 opics covered in this issue include: 1) 2 Baird's in Seabrook by "Tony Vazzano" 2) Baird's - No, Forster's Terns - Yes by Steve Mirick 3) Nighthawk Migration - Concord by rwoodward30 AT comcast.net 4) pm whale watch by Len Medlock Message-ID: <001201cb4563$c49cf290$6501a8c0 AT tony82411ca874> rom: "Tony Vazzano" o: New Hampshire Birds ubject: 2 Baird's in Seabrook ate: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:14:56 -0400 IME-Version: 1.0 ontent-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original ontent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -AOL-VSS-CODE: scan_error There were 2 Baird's Sandpipers on the beach just north of the Yankee Coop his morning. As Bob Crowley, Joe Scott and I were looking at them, Len edlock appeared in front of us, previously hidden by the enbankment. He was lso enjoying the sandpipers that were giving us great, close views. He nformed us of 4 Forster's Terns at the north end of the harbor. We went up o the marina and found 3 of them. There were over 100 Black-bellied Plovers esting in the nearby marsh grasses. Exeter WWTP was quiet; nothing out of the ordinary. Rochester WWTP was also uiet but we did see a couple dozen Least Sandpipers, several Semi-palmated anpipers and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs along with the usual Killdeers and Spotted andpipers. Tony Vazzano andwich Message-ID: <4C76F5A9.6090902 AT comcast.net> ate: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:15:53 -0400 rom: Steve Mirick IME-Version: 1.0 o: New Hampshire Birds ubject: Baird's - No, Forster's Terns - Yes ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed ontent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -AOL-VSS-CODE: scan_error I struck out on the Baird's Sandpipers later this afternoon from 3:30 M to 5:30 PM. Lots of birds, but no Baird's. :-( Otherwise, upwards of 2,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated lovers continue to use the harbor and roost at Hampton Beach State park nd Yankee Fisherman's Coop. I haven't yet been able to pick out nything odd, other than the occasional White-rump or Least. More birds: Forster's Tern - 4+ continue in harbor with a relatively small number of ommon Terns. Hard to pick out in late afternoon lighting. At least 3 ppeared to be juveniles. unlin - 1 JUVENILE. My first of the fall, and seemingly early for a uvenile. Nice views. Also..... CAROLINA SADDLEBAGS (dragonfly) - 1 fly by in Seabrook at Yankee isherman's Coop. This is the first year they have been recorded ositively in NH (photos and specimen), and they have now been reported rom at least Seabrook, Hampton, Hampton Falls and Lee. Blue Angels - 5 in formation. Practicing for air show this weekend at ease. Amorous Homo Sapiens - 2 in formation in beach dunes (!) ;-) Steve Mirick radford, MA Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:28:42 +0000 (UTC) rom: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net o: New Hampshire Birds essage-ID: <830894297.570145.1282868922948.JavaMail.root AT sz0046a.westchester.pa.mail.com cast.net> ubject: Nighthawk Migration - Concord IME-Version: 1.0 ontent-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" -AOL-VSS-CODE: scan_error Some birds were on the move tonight - as were the first flying ants of the eason. Researchers believe there may be a connection. A group of 15 was feeding ver an area to our north and then half an hour later a group of 18 flew more irectly south, south of our site. Since they could have been the same birds, e'll stick with 18 for the night plus one seen before 6 in a different area. inds tonight were out of the west. I will be up on the garage every night but if you only have one night available would go with Sunday. It's going to be hot and that means southerly winds and, predict, the peak of nighthawk migration for the season. Rob Woodward oncord, NH Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:53:55 +0000 (UTC) rom: Len Medlock o: New Hampshire Birds essage-ID: <1448652527.574062.1282870435276.JavaMail.root AT sz0098a.westchester.pa.mail.co mcast.net> ubject: pm whale watch IME-Version: 1.0 ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 ontent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -AOL-VSS-CODE: scan_error I accompanied Jon Woolf this afternoon on a trip with the good folks at Granite tate Whale Watch. Many thanks to Capt. Pete Reynolds and crew for another antastic time offshore. Nearly the entire voyage was in the Gulf of Maine, effrey's Ledge, where we had great looks at sea-going critters. No hite-chinned Petrels were seen...list follows: Isles of Shoals - NH ------------------- ilson's Storm-Petrel 15 orthern Gannet 6 eep sp. 7 onaparte's Gull 3 aughing Gull 1 Jeffrey's Ledge - ME ------------------- ory's Shearwater 1 reater Shearwater 26 ooty Shearwater 1 ilson's Storm-Petrel 17 orthern Gannet 9 halarope sp. 8 ommon Tern 4 Mammals: EI WHALE-2 in whale-1 arbor Seal-1 Fish: lue Shark-2 (down from last week's amazing 26!) ola Mola-1 (Jon took some fantastic photos: http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/Mola-1.jpg nd http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/Mola-2.jpg) Photos of the the 2 Baird's Sandpipers from this morning: http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/image/127846609/original nd http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/image/127846614/original This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/nh) Len Medlock xeter, NH Subject: RE: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:41:00 -0400 Sorry...meant to be a private response. -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin Klasman Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 9:29 AM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: RE: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Chris, Did you get a response from Jon about start time for Saturday's field trip? I'm thinking of attending and then going on the afternoon whale watch out of Rye. Interested? Kevin -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Sheridan Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:39 PM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Re: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Hi Jon-- How early do I need to get up in the morning to go shorebirding this Sat.? I'm interested in your workshop and trip~ Chris Sheridan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Woolf" To: "New Hampshire Birds" Sent: Monday, August 9, 2010 8:48:35 AM Subject: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Listfolk, Somehow or other, I got the idea of doing a "Basic Shorebirding" workshop, for those who (like me when I came to NH) are familiar with land birds, but much less so with the shorebirds that are currently moving through NH. So I've developed such a workshop for NH Audubon. It will be offered twice this fall: once the last weekend of August, and again in October. The August edition consists of two sessions. First is a classroom talk held at Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, the evening of Friday August 27th from 7 to 9PM. I'll talk about the common shorebirds we see in NH, and give some tips for identifying them, using some facts you can get from a field guide and a few things you can't. The second session is a field trip: on Saturday August 28th, we'll meet at Odiorne Point State Park and spend the morning traveling south along the coast, checking out some hot shorebirding spots to see what we can find. The classroom session alone costs $5; both sessions together cost $10 for NHA members and $15 for nonmembers. Call or email Massabesic Audubon to sign up: phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org. -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH MAC Programming Committee Subject: RE: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:29:25 -0400 Chris, Did you get a response from Jon about start time for Saturday's field trip? I'm thinking of attending and then going on the afternoon whale watch out of Rye. Interested? Kevin -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Sheridan Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:39 PM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Re: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Hi Jon-- How early do I need to get up in the morning to go shorebirding this Sat.? I'm interested in your workshop and trip~ Chris Sheridan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Woolf" To: "New Hampshire Birds" Sent: Monday, August 9, 2010 8:48:35 AM Subject: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Listfolk, Somehow or other, I got the idea of doing a "Basic Shorebirding" workshop, for those who (like me when I came to NH) are familiar with land birds, but much less so with the shorebirds that are currently moving through NH. So I've developed such a workshop for NH Audubon. It will be offered twice this fall: once the last weekend of August, and again in October. The August edition consists of two sessions. First is a classroom talk held at Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, the evening of Friday August 27th from 7 to 9PM. I'll talk about the common shorebirds we see in NH, and give some tips for identifying them, using some facts you can get from a field guide and a few things you can't. The second session is a field trip: on Saturday August 28th, we'll meet at Odiorne Point State Park and spend the morning traveling south along the coast, checking out some hot shorebirding spots to see what we can find. The classroom session alone costs $5; both sessions together cost $10 for NHA members and $15 for nonmembers. Call or email Massabesic Audubon to sign up: phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org. -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH MAC Programming Committee Subject: Krif Rd (Keene) - Nighthawks, Philly V & more From: "Kenneth Klapper" <kklapper AT antioch.edu> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:42:46 -0400 Yesterday morning I birded the Krif Rd area of Keene - the eastern edge of the cornfields near the rail trail, the rail trail itself, and some of the wooded and brushy edges of the Keene State College athletic fields. Overall it was a nice migration day, with 8 warbler species and a very yellowish Philadelphia Vireo mixed in with a large songbird flock by the wooden bridge along the rail trail. Notable also was a mid-morning (10am) flock of 52 Common Nighthawks which flew from the north and then circled, feeding, for about 5 minutes near the gate to the KSC athletic fields. They then continued on southeast, back towards the Ashuelot River. Warbler Species included Prairie (1), Nashvilla (1), Magnolia (2), Chestnut Sided (6), Am. Redstart (8, inc 2 adult males), Ovenbird (1), Yellow (2), and Common Yellowthroat (16). Other notable species included GB Heron (1 flyover), Sharp-shinnged Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, RT Hummingbird, Eastern Kingbird, lots of Empids (2 Least, and 6 Traill's), Common Raven, Brown Creeper, BG Gnatcatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting (many, probably 25, especially in the cornfields and along field edges, but also in flight), and Purple Finch (1 brownish individual). -Ken Klapper Spofford, NH Subject: pm whale watch From: Len Medlock <lenmedlock AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:53:55 +0000 (UTC) I accompanied Jon Woolf this afternoon on a trip with the good folks at Granite State Whale Watch. Many thanks to Capt. Pete Reynolds and crew for another fantastic time offshore. Nearly the entire voyage was in the Gulf of Maine, Jeffrey's Ledge, where we had great looks at sea-going critters. No White-chinned Petrels were seen...list follows: Isles of Shoals - NH -------------------- Wilson's Storm-Petrel 15 Northern Gannet 6 peep sp. 7 Bonaparte's Gull 3 Laughing Gull 1 Jeffrey's Ledge - ME -------------------- Cory's Shearwater 1 Greater Shearwater 26 Sooty Shearwater 1 Wilson's Storm-Petrel 17 Northern Gannet 9 phalarope sp. 8 Common Tern 4 Mammals: SEI WHALE-2 Fin whale-1 Harbor Seal-1 Fish: Blue Shark-2 (down from last week's amazing 26!) Mola Mola-1 (Jon took some fantastic photos: http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/Mola-1.jpg and http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/Mola-2.jpg) Photos of the the 2 Baird's Sandpipers from this morning: http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/image/127846609/original and http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/image/127846614/original This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/nh) Len Medlock Exeter, NH Subject: Nighthawk Migration - Concord From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:28:42 +0000 (UTC) Some birds were on the move tonight - as were the first flying ants of the season. Researchers believe there may be a connection. A group of 15 was feeding over an area to our north and then half an hour later a group of 18 flew more directly south, south of our site. Since they could have been the same birds, we'll stick with 18 for the night plus one seen before 6 in a different area. Winds tonight were out of the west. I will be up on the garage every night but if you only have one night available I would go with Sunday. It's going to be hot and that means southerly winds and, I predict, the peak of nighthawk migration for the season. Rob Woodward Concord, NH Subject: Baird's - No, Forster's Terns - Yes From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:15:53 -0400 I struck out on the Baird's Sandpipers later this afternoon from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Lots of birds, but no Baird's. :-( Otherwise, upwards of 2,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers continue to use the harbor and roost at Hampton Beach State park and Yankee Fisherman's Coop. I haven't yet been able to pick out anything odd, other than the occasional White-rump or Least. More birds: Forster's Tern - 4+ continue in harbor with a relatively small number of Common Terns. Hard to pick out in late afternoon lighting. At least 3 appeared to be juveniles. Dunlin - 1 JUVENILE. My first of the fall, and seemingly early for a juvenile. Nice views. Also..... CAROLINA SADDLEBAGS (dragonfly) - 1 fly by in Seabrook at Yankee Fisherman's Coop. This is the first year they have been recorded positively in NH (photos and specimen), and they have now been reported from at least Seabrook, Hampton, Hampton Falls and Lee. Blue Angels - 5 in formation. Practicing for air show this weekend at Pease. Amorous Homo Sapiens - 2 in formation in beach dunes (!) ;-) Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: 2 Baird's in Seabrook From: "Tony Vazzano" <tvazzano AT ncia.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:14:56 -0400 There were 2 Baird's Sandpipers on the beach just north of the Yankee Coop this morning. As Bob Crowley, Joe Scott and I were looking at them, Len Medlock appeared in front of us, previously hidden by the enbankment. He was also enjoying the sandpipers that were giving us great, close views. He informed us of 4 Forster's Terns at the north end of the harbor. We went up to the marina and found 3 of them. There were over 100 Black-bellied Plovers resting in the nearby marsh grasses. Exeter WWTP was quiet; nothing out of the ordinary. Rochester WWTP was also quiet but we did see a couple dozen Least Sandpipers, several Semi-palmated Sanpipers and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs along with the usual Killdeers and Spotted Sandpipers. Tony Vazzano Sandwich Subject: CORRECTION: Cooper's and Broad-winged Hawks, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:06:39 -0400 Thanks to Ian MacLeod for the correction: Make that a juvenile Cooper's Hawk (www.kevinklasman.com/coopers_hawk) and a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk (www.kevinklasman.com/broad_winged_hawk). -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin Klasman Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 11:41 AM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 I think I've had a juvenile Northern Goshawk hunting the yard for the last few days http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/northern_goshawk. And a pair of Prairie Warblers yesterday http://www.pbase.com/image/127823579 and 1 again today. Both are lifers if my IDs are correct. Kevin Klasman Nature Photographer http://www.kevinklasman.com http://OnHeronPond.com (blog) Subject: RE: Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 From: "Iain MacLeod" <iain.macleod AT nhnature.org> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:14:36 -0400 Kevin, Nice shots. There are two raptor species in the photos . . . neither is Goshawk. The first nine photos are juvenile Cooper's Hawks. The last six (the ones on the ground) are a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk. The warbler is a Prairie. Iain MacLeod Executive Director Squam Lakes Natural Science Center 23 Science Center Road, PO Box 173, Holderness, NH 03245 Phone: 603-968-7194 ext. 23 Fax: 603-968-2229 iain.macleod AT nhnature.org www.nhnature.org Advancing understanding of ecology by exploring NH's natural world TRAILS OPEN DAILY MAY 1 - NOVEMBER 1. -----Original Message----- From: owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu [mailto:owner-NH.Birds AT lists.unh.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin Klasman Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 11:41 AM To: New Hampshire Birds Subject: Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 I think I've had a juvenile Northern Goshawk hunting the yard for the last few days http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/northern_goshawk. And a pair of Prairie Warblers yesterday http://www.pbase.com/image/127823579 and 1 again today. Both are lifers if my IDs are correct. Kevin Klasman Nature Photographer http://www.kevinklasman.com http://OnHeronPond.com (blog) Subject: Northern Goshawk, Prairie Warbler yard birds in Hollis NH, 08/25/10 From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:40:30 -0400 I think I've had a juvenile Northern Goshawk hunting the yard for the last few days http://www.pbase.com/kklasman/northern_goshawk. And a pair of Prairie Warblers yesterday http://www.pbase.com/image/127823579 and 1 again today. Both are lifers if my IDs are correct. Kevin Klasman Nature Photographer http://www.kevinklasman.com http://OnHeronPond.com (blog) Subject: Re: great egrets in Derry From: Paul Dionne <pad738 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:54:44 -0400 I have seen 5 there. It is actually just over the town line, in Londonderry. Paul Dionne, Derry Sent from my iPhone On Aug 26, 2010, at 9:55 AM, byrder101 wrote: > Hi > > Late post! I have been seeing great egrets in the swampy area on the > right > heading north on rte. 28 in Derry. Saw 4 on Aug. 14 and 3 on the > 23rd and > 24th. There may be more but it is a tough place to stop and some > areas are > hard to see unless you walk down a ways along 28 and peer through > the trees. > Traffic is busy and can be pretty scary, especially standing there > taking > pictures!! Also several blue herons there too. > > Barb Horton Derry Subject: White-chinned Petrel From: Emmalee Tarry <emmaleet AT msn.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:17:43 -0400 Would it not be wonderful if this guy would show up on the NH Audubon Tri-state Pelagic on September 7? And would it not be a tragedy if we didn't see it because the trip didn't fill and we were not out there. Even if we don't see this bird we should have good birds and whales. Let's not miss this. Emmalee Bowers Tarry EmmaleeT AT msn.com EmmaleeTarry.us www.NEseabirds.com AHS56.com Subject: Baird's Sandpiper in Seabrook From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:10:23 -0400 Len Medlock just called to report a Baird's Sandpiper in Seabrook. He is seeing it from the Yankee Fisherman's Coop fishing area on the beach just to the north. Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: great egrets in Derry From: byrder101 <byrder101 AT aol.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:55:10 -0400 Hi Late post! I have been seeing great egrets in the swampy area on the right heading north on rte. 28 in Derry. Saw 4 on Aug. 14 and 3 on the 23rd and 24th. There may be more but it is a tough place to stop and some areas are hard to see unless you walk down a ways along 28 and peer through the trees. Traffic is busy and can be pretty scary, especially standing there taking pictures!! Also several blue herons there too. Barb Horton Derry Subject: Great egret From: Roger Treadwell <rogertreadwell AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:38:33 -0400 Great Egret in a small pond on Rt 149 on the Weare/Deering town line this morning. Sent from my iPhone Subject: Apparent White-chinned Petrel seen from Bar Harbor whale watch From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:51:42 -0400 Since a lot of folks have been heading offshore, it's certainly worth paying attention for the remote possibility that this "mega-rarity" may wander back down to the Jeffrey's Ledge area. http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/MAIN.html#1282760184 Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: storm birds From: eric.masterson AT myfairpoint.net Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:30:43 -0400 I checked a few spots today, with some decent birds. Photos at http://beyondbirding.wordpress.com Massabesic Forsters Tern still present Canterbury Sod Farm Upland Sandpiper American Golden Plover Hinsdale Black Tern Subject: olive-sided flycatcher, Sullivan From: Phil Brown <downtownpab AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:12:21 -0700 (PDT) 1 at Seward Mt. Farm along Bowlder Road in Sullivan this evening. Phil Brown Stoddard, NH Subject: Pelagic bird/whale trip from Plymouth, MA From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:45:21 -0400 Posting this for Carol "Krill" Carson. Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Seabird and Whale Tale Excursion Sunday, September 12, 2010 Trip Time: 10 am to 6 pm Attention: End of early registration is fast approaching. See trip details below. Join us for an all day, marine wildlife cruise to support marine education and wildlife conservation. The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) with assistance from Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours, Mass Audubon South Shore Sanctuaries, Natural History Services, South Shore Bird Club, and Bridgewater State College are hosting the Spring 2010 edition of a fundraising event called Seabird & Whale Tales. During our excursion offshore, enjoy commentary from our wildlife experts including: - Wayne Petersen (MA Audubon Society), - David Clapp (Natural History Services), - Jim Sweeney (South Shore Bird Club), - Joanne Jarzobski (Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours), - and Dr. John Jahoda (Bridgewater State College), Travel aboard the Tails of the Sea, a 110 luxury commercial whale watching vessel owned and operated by Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours out of Plymouth, MA. View seabirds, seals, whales, dolphins, basking sharks, ocean sunfish and more. Leave from the Plymouth Town Pier at 10 am and return by 6 pm. Trip activities include a plankton tow and demonstration, chumming for seabirds and a free onboard nature-themed raffle. Tickets: Pre-Sale $90 and then $100 after August 31, 2010. To learn more about this trip or to download the registration form, go to http://www.necwa.org/trips.html. Or for more information, contact Krill Carson at 508-566-0009 or at krillcarson AT mac.com. Group rates also available. All proceeds from our Seabird & Whale Tale excursions go to support the many projects and activities conducted by NECWA, a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Thank you, Carol Krill Carson Marine Biologist and President, NECWA Special Hotel Offer from Hampton Inn & Suites, Plymouth, MA Stay at Hampton Inn & Suites in Plymouth Saturday night for only $89 plus tax. Included is Hampton's "On the House Hot Breakfast" on Saturday morning as well as shuttle bus service to the boat! Call Hampton Inn & Suites at 1-508-747-5000. Subject: Re: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop From: Chris Sheridan <cmsbirds AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:39:24 +0000 (UTC) Hi Jon-- How early do I need to get up in the morning to go shorebirding this Sat.? I'm interested in your workshop and trip~ Chris Sheridan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Woolf" To: "New Hampshire Birds" Sent: Monday, August 9, 2010 8:48:35 AM Subject: NH Audubon: Basic Shorebirds workshop Listfolk, Somehow or other, I got the idea of doing a "Basic Shorebirding" workshop, for those who (like me when I came to NH) are familiar with land birds, but much less so with the shorebirds that are currently moving through NH. So I've developed such a workshop for NH Audubon. It will be offered twice this fall: once the last weekend of August, and again in October. The August edition consists of two sessions. First is a classroom talk held at Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, the evening of Friday August 27th from 7 to 9PM. I'll talk about the common shorebirds we see in NH, and give some tips for identifying them, using some facts you can get from a field guide and a few things you can't. The second session is a field trip: on Saturday August 28th, we'll meet at Odiorne Point State Park and spend the morning traveling south along the coast, checking out some hot shorebirding spots to see what we can find. The classroom session alone costs $5; both sessions together cost $10 for NHA members and $15 for nonmembers. Call or email Massabesic Audubon to sign up: phone 603-668-2045, email mac AT nhaudubon.org. -- Jon Woolf Manchester, NH MAC Programming Committee Subject: Black-headed Gull off Little Boar's Head From: Steve Mirick <smirick AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:09:38 -0400 Len Medlock and I made a quick trip down the coast this afternoon. Not a lot to report for storm birds except for a few very close gannets off Pulpit Rocks in Rye. Visibility was not great and the heavy rain/mist made it very wet. Relatively few birds so a close BLACK-HEADED GULL by itself foraging off Little Boar's Head in North Hampton was a surprise. It was a relatively fresh juvenile with nice brownish tones to the back. Len didn't have a camera, so I had to settle for these shots taken from the car: http://home.comcast.net/~smirick//photos/BlackheadedGull1.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~smirick//photos/BlackheadedGull2.jpg Steve Mirick Bradford, MA Subject: HSR: Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory (24 Aug 2010) 7 Raptors From: reports AT hawkcount.org Date: 25 Aug 2010 18:08:35 -0400 Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 24, 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 0 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 0 0 Northern Harrier 0 0 0 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 3 3 Cooper's Hawk 0 0 0 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 2 2 2 Merlin 2 2 2 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 7 7 7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 06:30:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 8.5 hours Official Counter: Julie Tilden Observers: Henry Walters Visitors: A snowshoe hare taking tickets at the observatory at 7:30 AM. Weather: Doom and gloom all day, knock your head against the cloud ceiling if you're not careful, but decent visibility between 10:00 and noon. Wet winds 12-15 mph out of the NE. Rain took charge around 2:00. Raptor Observations: The first sharpie of the season teetered his way by at 10:07, and this fall's Pack hawk count was underway. A few minutes later, to add to the festivities, out of the trees just east of the observatory, a juv. female goshawk shot up, firework-style, and banked hard away--hopefully we'll get a few more good looks at this resident in weeks to come. Local red-tails, too, to the east and west patrolled much of the day. A female kestrel showed off on the wind for a while; nice looks at two much less fanciful merlins, booking it at no-time-to-waste pace. Non-raptor Observations: Plenty of warblers holding down the peak: black-and-white, yellow-rumped, male and female redstarts, a young Cape May being finicky in the spruces. Philadelphia vireos (2), red-breasted nuthatch, and a goldfinch among some chickadees and juncos. Winter wren looking bewildered. A flock of 26 geese was the only late-afternoon action. Predictions: Rain in quantity. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Julie Tilden (julie_tilden AT hotmail.com) Pack Monadnock information may be found at: www.nhaudubon.org Subject: Joppa Flats Banding Station Report Week #2 & #3 (7-20 August 2010) From: "David Larson" <dlarson AT massaudubon.org> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:17:14 -0400 Mass Audubonbs Joppa Flats Education Center operates a bird banding station on Plum Island in cooperation with the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The following is the banding station report from Ben Flemer, the Station Manager: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone, B Welcome to the week #2 and #3 report!B B B During week two, the island was still awash with flocks of Tree Swallows.B In the past, we have managed to capture a few of these high fliers, but on Thursday, a huge flock descended on our Bayberry, cherry and honeysuckle shrubs and promptly overwhelmed three of our nets.B We extracted over 150 swallows from the three nets and banded a small number.B I have seen nets full of birds (usually about 15 or 20 total), but never so many at one time!B We estimated that about 80 to 90 percent were young (hatch year) birds in this flock.B Gray Catbirds, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts continue to make up the bulk of our captures.B We also banded our first Mourning Warbler of the season as well as a young female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.B B Week #3 was a more manageable mirror image or the previous week.B We managed to catch a smaller portion of a Tree Swallow flock (7 in total) and a flock of Orioles made up of 10 Baltimore and 1 Orchard.B As we were extracting these we noticed the rest of the flock chasing each other through the trees and shrubs around the nets.B The ones that got away!B We banded another Mourning Warbler as well as our first Canada Warblers, and another Blue-winged.B Other new species for this week include an Eastern Kingbird, Northern Flicker, Red-eyed Vireo, and a Carolina Wren.B B During week#2, we banded 132 new birds of 21 species and recaptured 31 birds of 9 species and we banded 120 new birds of 22 species and recaptured 34 birds of 9 species with totals below.B As always, many thanks to all the volunteers that helped out at the station this week.B A special thanks to Armand Claveau, Kara Moody, and Veronica for all their help and grace under pressure during Thursdaybs Tree Swallow event! B Veronica is a high school intern at the Parker River headquarters and it was her first experience at the banding station.B Nothing like a little trial by fire!B B See you around the shed! B TTFN, B Ben. B Week #2 New Downy WoodpeckerB B 2 "Traill's" FlycatcherB B 1 Least FlycatcherB B 1 Eastern PhoebeB B 1 Tree SwallowB B 13 Black-capped ChickadeeB B 1 American RobinB B 5 Gray CatbirdB B 53 Brown ThrasherB B 1 Cedar WaxwingB B 1 Yellow WarblerB B 11 Black-and-white WarblerB B 1 American RedstartB B 10 OvenbirdB B 2 Northern WaterthrushB B 2 Mourning WarblerB B 1 Common YellowthroatB B 13 Song SparrowB B 7 Rose-breasted GrosbeakB B 1 Baltimore OrioleB B 2 Purple FinchB B 3 B TotalB B 132 B B RecapturesB B Common NameB B Totals Downy WoodpeckerB B 1 Black-capped ChickadeeB B 1 Gray CatbirdB B 17 Yellow WarblerB B 2 Black-and-white WarblerB B 2 OvenbirdB B 1 Common YellowthroatB B 5 Eastern TowheeB B 1 American GoldfinchB B 1 B TotalB B 31 B B B Week #3 New Northern "Yellows-shafted" FlickerB B 1 Eastern PhoebeB B 3 Eastern KingbirdB B 1 Red-eyed VireoB B 1 Tree SwallowB B 7 Black-capped ChickadeeB B 5 Carolina WrenB B 1 American RobinB B 5 Gray CatbirdB B 44 Blue-winged WarblerB B 1 Yellow WarblerB B 10 Black-and-white WarblerB B 2 American RedstartB B 6 Northern WaterthrushB B 3 Mourning WarblerB B 1 Common YellowthroatB B 6 Canada WarblerB B 3 Eastern TowheeB B 1 Song SparrowB B 7 Northern CardinalB B 1 Orchard OrioleB B 1 Baltimore OrioleB B 10 TotalB B 120 B B RecapturesB B Common NameB B Totals Downy WoodpeckerB B 1 Black-capped ChickadeeB B 1 Gray CatbirdB B 13 Yellow WarblerB B 1 American RedstartB B 5 OvenbirdB B 2 Common YellowthroatB B 8 Song SparrowB B 2 Purple FinchB B 1 TotalB B 34 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- David M. Larson, Ph.D. Education Coordinator Joppa Flats Education Center Mass Audubon Newburyport, MA 978-462-9998 Subject: Joppa Flats Banding Station Report Week #2 & #3 (7-20 August 2010) From: "David Larson" <dlarson AT massaudubon.org> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:18:14 -0400 Mass Audubonbs Joppa Flats Education Center operates a bird banding station on Plum Island in cooperation with the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The following is the banding station report from Ben Flemer, the Station Manager: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone, Welcome to the week #2 and #3 report! During week two, the island was still awash with flocks of Tree Swallows. In the past, we have managed to capture a few of these high fliers, but on Thursday, a huge flock descended on our Bayberry, cherry and honeysuckle shrubs and promptly overwhelmed three of our nets. We extracted over 150 swallows from the three nets and banded a small number. I have seen nets full of birds (usually about 15 or 20 total), but never so many at one time! We estimated that about 80 to 90 percent were young (hatch year) birds in this flock. Gray Catbirds, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts continue to make up the bulk of our captures. We also banded our first Mourning Warbler of the season as well as a young female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Week #3 was a more manageable mirror image or the previous week. We managed to catch a smaller portion of a Tree Swallow flock (7 in total) and a flock of Orioles made up of 10 Baltimore and 1 Orchard. As we were extracting these we noticed the rest of the flock chasing each other through the trees and shrubs around the nets. The ones that got away! We banded another Mourning Warbler as well as our first Canada Warblers, and another Blue-winged. Other new species for this week include an Eastern Kingbird, Northern Flicker, Red-eyed Vireo, and a Carolina Wren. During week#2, we banded 132 new birds of 21 species and recaptured 31 birds of 9 species and we banded 120 new birds of 22 species and recaptured 34 birds of 9 species with totals below. As always, many thanks to all the volunteers that helped out at the station this week. A special thanks to Armand Claveau, Kara Moody, and Veronica for all their help and grace under pressure during Thursdaybs Tree Swallow event! Veronica is a high school intern at the Parker River headquarters and it was her first experience at the banding station. Nothing like a little trial by fire! See you around the shed! TTFN, Ben. Week #2 Week #3 New New Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern "Yellows-shafted" Flicker 1 "Traill's" Flycatcher 1 Eastern Phoebe 3 Least Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Tree Swallow 13 Tree Swallow 7 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Black-capped Chickadee 5 American Robin 5 Carolina Wren 1 Gray Catbird 53 American Robin 5 Brown Thrasher 1 Gray Catbird 44 Cedar Waxwing 1 Blue-winged Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 11 Yellow Warbler 10 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 2 American Redstart 10 American Redstart 6 Ovenbird 2 Northern Waterthrush 3 Northern Waterthrush 2 Mourning Warbler 1 Mourning Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 6 Common Yellowthroat 13 Canada Warbler 3 Song Sparrow 7 Eastern Towhee 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Song Sparrow 7 Baltimore Oriole 2 Northern Cardinal 1 Purple Finch 3 Orchard Oriole 1 Total 132 Baltimore Oriole 10 Total 120 Recaptures Recaptures Common Name Totals Common Name Totals Downy Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Gray Catbird 17 Gray Catbird 13 Yellow Warbler 2 Yellow Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 2 American Redstart 5 Ovenbird 1 Ovenbird 2 Common Yellowthroat 5 Common Yellowthroat 8 Eastern Towhee 1 Song Sparrow 2 American Goldfinch 1 Purple Finch 1 Total 31 Total 34 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- David M. Larson, Ph.D. Education Coordinator Joppa Flats Education Center Mass Audubon Newburyport, MA 978-462-9998 Subject: Downtown Nashua Osprey From: "David S. Deifik" <David.S.Deifik AT Hitchcock.ORG> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:40:34 -0400 I am sitting in my perch overlooking downtown Nashua and just saw an Osprey fly by very close to the office. It was carrying a large fish! I've seen Osprey fly by a few times over the years, but never carrying prey. Doesn't look like the pouring rain was giving the bird a problem! Possibly the same bird was also seen yesterday flying over downtown. David Deifik Nashua IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THIS ELECTRONIC MESSAGE: This message is intended for the use of the person to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, your use of this message for any purpose is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please delete the message and notify the sender so that we may correct our records. Subject: Re: Nighthawk Migration From: "Keith Gordon" <kmg AT myexcel.com> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:17:47 -0400 Dear Debra----Look for item #3. It's on it's way. Raining here again. We need it. Hope the brush hog works out. Love----Dad & Mom ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clifford Seifer" To: "New Hampshire Birds" Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 8:54 AM Subject: Re: Nighthawk Migration > ---------- Original Message ---------- > From: rwoodward30 AT comcast.net > Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:38:58 +0000 (UTC) > >> Keene needs help too this year. Lance will not be available so we need >> someone >> in that area to pick up where he left off. > > Thanks Bob -- Lance left some pretty big shoes to fill and we're > hoping for a collective effort in Keene to ensure nightly monitoring > during Nighthawk migration. I'll be taking a couple of days per week > including a Monadnock Chapter Field Trip to Green Wagon Farm on > September 1st at 6:00. (Meet in the Stone Arch Village Parking lot on > Court Street.) Anyone who might be interested in helping out, an > hour, one night a week, please shoot me a message off-list and we'll > see if we can't put together a schedule! Almost every night is likely > to turn up a few migrant nighthawks in Keene and last season we had > some really enormous flocks numbering in the hundreds. It's a > spectacle well worth experiencing. > > -- Cliff Seifer > Keene NH Subject: migration at Hinsdale From: "hector galbraith" <hg2 AT hughes.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:21:15 -0400 Not too much happening, but there has been a black tern for the last couple of days, and a flock of about 28 eastern kingbirds. Hector Galbraith, PhD Climate Change and Energy Initiative Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences p: 802 258 4836 c: 802 222 1916