NH.Birds for Thursday, April 24, 2008

Messages are displayed in the order they were received.  Subject  From  Time   Second Hummer in NH on 4/21, White-crowned Sparrow   Terry Bronson   6:40am   Re: Rose-breasted Grosbeak?   Terry Bronson   6:51am   RE: Virginia Rail at Chapman's Landing   Darrel.Covell(AT)unh.ed   8:27am   Virginia Rail at Chapman's Landing   Leonard Medlock    8:25am   Kensan-Devan, Meetinghouse Pond   Geoffrey Gardner    9:01am   arrivals in Exeter   Patience Chamberlin    9:22am   Keene Cemetery Birds: C. Redpoll, Am. Bittern   Kenneth Klapper   9:37am   Nashville song from Yellow-rumped, Rumney 4/24   John Williams    10:31am   Meetinghouse Pond 4/22 afternoon   Bruce Boyer    12:00pm   Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Merrimack   Tom Young    12:17pm   Osprey in Fitzwilliam   Bruce Boyer    12:58pm   NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)   Steve Mirick    1:11pm   New Hampshire Audubon field trips to Star Island and Seavey Island   Eric Masterson   1:26pm   Re: New Hampshire Audubon field trips to Star Island and Seavey Island   Bruce Boyer    1:49pm   Pickering Ponds, Rochester, NH   Michael    3:51pm   addendum to Terry and Jon's Brentwood Mitigation Area report (4/23)   d.skillman(AT)comcast.n   4:40pm   Re: NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)   Bruce Boyer    5:53pm   Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in NH   Steve Mirick    7:27pm   Pickering Ponds - Thursday Afternoon   Chet   9:46pm   Re: NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)   Scott Spangenberg    11:49pm

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Subject: Second Hummer in NH on 4/21, White-crowned Sparrow
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 24 Apr 2008 6:40am

Thanks to Sharon Stichter of New England Hummers for the
information that there was a second Ruby-throated Hummingbird
seen on April 21, this one in Franklin.  That one was originally
posted on www.hummingbirds.net.

Also, on April 22, I neglected to post that there was an adult
White-crowned Sparrow in Stratham along River Road where
it meets Route 108.  Denny Abbott alerted me to this bird.
Also present were at least 18 Savannah Sparrows.

--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net


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Subject: Re: Rose-breasted Grosbeak?
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 24 Apr 2008 6:51am

Byard,

Pam Hunt's chart of arrival dates, which I posted a few days ago,
shows April 15 as the earliest recorded date for Rose-breasted
Grosbeak, with April 30 as the median date.  So it's certainly
possible.

RBG songs are similar to American Robins and Scarlet Tanagers,
so there is always the potential for confusion when the bird is
only heard.

--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Byard Miller <byard(AT)virtualflybox.com>
> I was just sitting out on the porch and heard a Rose-breasted  
> Grosbeak. It seems a bit early to me... could I be mistaking his call  
> for something else?
> 
> Byard Miller
> Marlborough NH
> Bird Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/9534802@N02/


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Subject: RE: Virginia Rail at Chapman's Landing
From: Darrel.Covell(AT)unh.edu
Date: 24 Apr 2008 8:27am

Hello-

This auto generated message is to let you know that I will be away from the
office and email until Monday, April 28th.  I will respond to email messages
when I return.  Thank you.

Darrel Covell


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Subject: Virginia Rail at Chapman's Landing
From: Leonard Medlock <lmedlock(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 8:25am

Quick stop at Chapman's Landing, Stratham, before work. Two rails were "oinking"
 deep within the phragmites. One came out very briefly:

http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/image/96081700

Also seen/heard:
Great Blue Heron - 2 cruising toward the Osprey pole, still occupied by nesting
pair.
Wilson's Snipe - 3
Savannah Sparrow - 5

Len Medlock
Exeter, NH


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Subject: Kensan-Devan, Meetinghouse Pond
From: Geoffrey Gardner <anarkiss(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 9:01am

23 April - Common Yellowthroat - Bench Marsh - singing along with the
Chippies and Chickadees.

24 April- Yellow-Rumped Warbler - in the woods at the edge of the little
pond across Underwood Road from the
                       Bench.

Both these arrivals are about a week earlier than last year.

Geoffrey Gardner


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Subject: arrivals in Exeter
From: Patience Chamberlin <patiencec(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 9:22am

A thorough survey of our woods this morning produced some new arrivals.

Louisiana waterthrush, heard and seen    exact same spot as last year,  
one day early.
Black-throated green warbler	heard, one day earlier than last year.
Blue-headed vireo	heard, same arrival day as last year.
(the same arrival dates just amaze me)

Others that have been here for last week:  hermit thrushes, E.  
Towhees  and field sparrow(both under rt 85 powerlines), palm and  
pine, YR warblers.  mom bluebird spending more time on the nest.

Yesterday 4/23 a Warbling vireo here    heard only

Patience Chamberlin
Exeter


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Subject: Keene Cemetery Birds: C. Redpoll, Am. Bittern
From: "Kenneth Klapper" <Kenneth_Klapper(AT)antiochne.edu>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 9:37am

I birded the Woodland/Greenlawn Cemetery today from about 6:30-8:30 am,
notable birds include a female Common Redpoll feeding on gray birch
catkins.  The American Bittern continues calling, best times seem to be
early morning or evenings.  White-throated, Swamp, and Chipping Sparrows
were super abundant.  A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over briefly.  Phoebes
continue as well as Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and several Pine Warblers were
singing.  No luck on any other warblers, though!

Painted Trillium is a new bloom for the spring for me, a few were popping
up along the streams on the northeast side - in the pine grove across N.
Lincoln St. from Robin Hood Park.

-Ken


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Subject: Nashville song from Yellow-rumped, Rumney 4/24
From: John Williams <john(AT)2young.us>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 10:31am

Yesterday I tracked down the local warbler which had been singing for  
several days from the pine trees. As I suspected, it was a Yellow- 
rumped Warbler doing its best imitation of a Nashville's song. It was  
very close to the song file for Nashville Warbler as found on  
"Whatbird.com." In the past I have heard  this song, and have gone on  
the Nashville chase only to find the Y-rump responsible.

Perhaps this has some relevance to the prior "Heard" Nashville  
Warbler reported about a week ago.

Along with that, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets are singing, Blue- 
headed Vireo arrived, and a Savannah Sparrow showed up in the  
neighbor's Christmas tree farm. Also present at that site were 9  
Northern Flickers working over ant hills.

Tuesday Cocktails on the deck were interrupted by an unsuccessful  
attack on a Hairy Woodpecker by a male Merlin.... brief though it  
was, what a sight!  (The Woodpecker eluded the falcon)

In the calm evening air, I heard a Belted Kingfisher rattling its way  
up the Baker River 1/3 of a mile away. Pass my hearing test!

Broadwinged Hawks showed up in numbers on Sunday, as did my FOY Tree  
Swallows.

John R Williams
Rumney


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Subject: Meetinghouse Pond 4/22 afternoon
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 12:00pm

Paddling on the pond, saw 1-2 pairs Mallards and Canada Geese, and a  
Purple Finch singing noisily from a spruce on the "floating"  bog  
island. An Osprey hovered over the pond for a few minutes without  
diving. Heard a loud Barred Owl calling repeatedly and loudly  in the  
woods to the W. (Or else a human simulating an owl.)


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Subject: Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Merrimack
From: Tom Young <rustysnaketail(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 12:17pm

Having seen that another NH birder heard a Rose-breasted Grosbeak today, I'm
chiming in with a report of one in my yard. I heard it singing and thought to
myself, "Seems a bit early," but I'm 100% positive of the ID. This is certainly
the earliest that I can ever recall hearing an RBGR around here.
   
  Tom Young
  Merrimack

       
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Subject: Osprey in Fitzwilliam
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 12:58pm

Just saw an Osprey grab a fish from Scott Pond in front of the house  
and carry it off.


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Subject: NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)
From: Steve Mirick <smirick(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 1:11pm

I hit the coast for a few hours this morning.  Spent about 1 1/2 hours 
counting migrants from the Seabrook/Hampton area and then poked around a 
bit and walked for about an hour at Odiorne.  Didn't scan much offshore, 
but not a whole lot of winter sea ducks obvious.  Not a whole lot of 
land birds considering the warm weather and westerly breezes from 
yesterday and last night.

Clear and mild
Winds NW 10-25 mph

MIGRATION (7:00 AM to 8:30 AM) - Not a whole lot moving, but a few things.
All of the following are estimated to be migrating birds:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Loon - 1
Great Blue Heron - 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
American Kestrel - 4
Tree Swallow - 28
Barn Swallow - 2
Blue Jay - 3
Brown-headed Cowbird - 4
Common Grackle - 62
Red-winged Blackbird - 13
American Goldfinch - 35

Elsewhere along the coast
---------------------------
Canada Goose - 2 (pair).  Incubating on nest in Rye marsh.
Green-winged Teal - 2 in Meadow Pond in Hampton
Common Goldeneye - 1 female IN HENRY'S POOL or stream actually at low 
tide.  Very odd location.
Snowy Egret - 6.  3 chased out of salt panne by nesting Canada Geese
Merlin - Nice view of bird migrating low past me at Odiorne.
Greater Yellowlegs - 8 in Henry's Pool
VIRGINIA RAIL - (FOY) 1 at freshwater marsh at Odiorne.  Not very vocal, 
but came in to tape recorder!:

http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/virginiarail2.jpg

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 adult in breeding plumage at Odiorne.  
"Frosty" in his favorite rocks near Frost Point:

http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/lesserblackbackedgull042408.jpg

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - A few here and there, but not many.  Perhaps 4 at 
Odiorne.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - (FOY) 1 at Odiorne.
Black-capped Chickadee - Pair excavating nest hole at Odiorne.
Palm Warbler - 2 (only) in Seabrook Dunes
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1 (only) in Seabrook neighborhood
Pine Warbler - 3 (including pair at Odiorne)
Brown Thrasher - (FOY) 1 singing in Seabrook Dunes
Eastern Towhee - (FOY) 2 or 3 at Odiorne
White-throated Sparrow - 25 at Odiorne and 4 in Seabrook Dunes
Swamp Sparrow - 1 quiet bird in marsh at Odiorne.

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA


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Subject: New Hampshire Audubon field trips to Star Island and Seavey
         Island
From: "Eric Masterson" <EMasterson(AT)NHAudubon.org>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 1:26pm

Birders:
New Hampshire Audubon is sponsoring a field trip to Star Island off the coast of
 Rye, NH on May 18th and May 31st.  May 18th with Eric Masterson and Becky
Suomala, May 31st with Eric Masterson and Steve Mirick.

There are four places left for the trip on the 18th and seven for the 31st.
Cost is $40 per person for members, $45 for non-members.  The trip will leave
Rye Harbor 7am and return to dock at 4pm.  Fee covers boat, landing fee, but
does not cover parking ($5 per vehicle in Rye Harbor State Park).

In addition, NH Audubon is sponsoring a trip to the Seavey Island tern
restoration project, Sat. July 5th, 9am-3pm.  Cost $50 members, $55 non-members.

If you are interested or want further details of expected species etc.,  please
contact me asap.

Eric

Eric Masterson
Vice President, Development
New Hampshire Audubon
3 Silk Farm Road
Concord, NH 03301
Phone 224-9909 ext. 307

New Hampshire Audubon
Protecting New Hampshire's natural environment for wildlife and for people


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Subject: Re: New Hampshire Audubon field trips to Star Island and
         Seavey Island
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 1:49pm

Hi Eric,

Please let me know about the expected species. Also, would there be  
carpooling opportunities from the Peterborough/Keene area?
Finally, if someone had to cancel at the last minute would that create  
problems?

Bruce Boyer

On Apr 24, 2008, at 1:26 PM, Eric Masterson wrote:

> Birders:
> New Hampshire Audubon is sponsoring a field trip to Star Island off  
> the coast of Rye, NH on May 18th and May 31st.  May 18th with Eric  
> Masterson and Becky Suomala, May 31st with Eric Masterson and Steve  
> Mirick.
>
> There are four places left for the trip on the 18th and seven for  
> the 31st.  Cost is $40 per person for members, $45 for non-members.   
> The trip will leave Rye Harbor 7am and return to dock at 4pm.  Fee  
> covers boat, landing fee, but does not cover parking ($5 per vehicle  
> in Rye Harbor State Park).
>
> In addition, NH Audubon is sponsoring a trip to the Seavey Island  
> tern restoration project, Sat. July 5th, 9am-3pm.  Cost $50 members,  
> $55 non-members.
>
> If you are interested or want further details of expected species  
> etc.,  please contact me asap.
>
> Eric
>
> Eric Masterson
> Vice President, Development
> New Hampshire Audubon
> 3 Silk Farm Road
> Concord, NH 03301
> Phone 224-9909 ext. 307
>
> New Hampshire Audubon
> Protecting New Hampshire's natural environment for wildlife and for  
> people


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Subject: Pickering Ponds, Rochester, NH
From: Michael <nhsun100(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 3:51pm

An afternoon walk at Pickering Ponds yielded these birds today:
   
  Yellow-rumped warblers 7
  Palm warblers-5
  Titmouse 1
  Mourning doves-3
  Woodducks 2
  Turkey vulture 1
  Mallards-2
  Grackles
  Red-winged blackbirds
  Junco 1
  Robins
  Chickadees
  Crow
  Song sparrows 3
  White-breased nuthatch 2
  Goldfinch
  Heron gulls
  Great Black-backed gulls
   
  species=18
   
  Michael Pachomski
  Rochester, NH

       
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Subject: addendum to Terry and Jon's Brentwood Mitigation Area report
          (4/23)
From: d.skillman(AT)comcast.net
Date: 24 Apr 2008 4:40pm

The only add-on I would report is a vireo that sang once then was viewed
briefly. The song was like a Red-eyed, but not enough song to get a real good
handle. Upon reviewing my field guide I believe it was a Red-eyed Vireo due to
whitish underparts and head coloration/pattern.

I did get some photos of a female Hooded Merganser and Great Blue Herons posing
upon landing as well as a head shot of a Beaver that swam at us then slapped
it's tail.

Beaver: http://www.pbase.com/dennissk/image/96097587

Birds (start at url then click next to see photos):
http://www.pbase.com/dennissk/image/96047002

Dennis Skillman


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Subject: Re: NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 5:53pm

I'm intrigued, because 2 books I have show that the BG Gnatcatcher's  
range doesn't reach this far north. Is it extending its range like  
some other species? I was familiar with the Gnatcatcher in nice  
unspoiled woods in MD, but have never seen it in NH.

>
> BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - (FOY) 1 at Odiorne.
> Black-capped Chickadee - Pair excavating nest hole at Odiorne.
>
> Steve Mirick
> Bradford, MA


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Subject: Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in NH
From: Steve Mirick <smirick(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 7:27pm

Bruce (and others).  The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has indeed expanded its 
range northward into NH since the 1960's.  I'm not certain whether there 
has been that much of an expansion in the last 20 years, however I think 
they might have expanded a bit since the mid 1980s.  The New Hampshire 
Breeding Bird Atlas from the 1980's shows them nesting widespread, but 
very locally in the southern half of the state northward to the Lakes 
Region.  Curiously, the Atlas mentions that the first documented nesting 
in the state was near Squam Lake in 1965. 

They are still an uncommon and local nesting species in southeastern 
NH.  I have found nesting territories (and a couple of nests) in 
Portsmouth, Durham, Lee, Exeter and especially Pawtuckaway SP area, but 
I have only recorded them on my Breeding Bird Survey (Dover to Exeter)  
in one year (2005 - 3 birds!) over the last 20 years.  They are uncommon 
in migration as well, but I seem to have (relatively) good luck in both 
spring and fall at Odiorne.

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA


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Subject: Pickering Ponds - Thursday Afternoon
From: "Chet" <c_farwell(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 9:46pm

        Pickering Ponds - 04-23-08 PM        

A gorgeous afternoon --

8 Red-winged Blackbirds
Male: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2440056352/

I think this is a female -- let me know if I'm wrong:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2439236033/

10 Palm Warblers
15+ Yellow-rumped Warblers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2439162545/

3 Turkey Vultures
2 Cardinals
2 Mallards

Chet
Dover, NH
**GBA===
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150


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Subject: Re: NH Coast (Vi. Rail, Gnatcatcher, LBBG)
From: Scott Spangenberg <scottspangenberg(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 24 Apr 2008 11:49pm

Bruce,

I found my first two for this year at the Beaver Brook sanctuary in  
Hollis on Sunday April 20.

I haven't noticed much of change in range.  (I also have several  
field guides that show the range including much of NH.)  I have found  
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in every county in NH except Coos County going  
back a little over 20 years, and I expect I've missed it there only  
because I'm only in that part of the state a few times a year.  It  
was a breeder at my folks house in Rockland, Maine for at least the  
last ten years or so. I've also found them multiple times in Ontario.

On the other hand, I've never found one in Quebec, New Brunswick, or  
Nova Scotia.

Scott Spangenberg
Amherst, NH

On Apr 24, 2008, at 5:53 PM, Bruce Boyer wrote:

> I'm intrigued, because 2 books I have show that the BG  
> Gnatcatcher's range doesn't reach this far north. Is it extending  
> its range like some other species? I was familiar with the  
> Gnatcatcher in nice unspoiled woods in MD, but have never seen it  
> in NH.
>
>
>
>>
>> BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - (FOY) 1 at Odiorne.
>> Black-capped Chickadee - Pair excavating nest hole at Odiorne.
>>
>> Steve Mirick
>> Bradford, MA