Harriers, Owl, Goldeneye etc - Charlestown/Lake Sunapee

[jackso...@gmail.com]

I spent this morning birding in Windsor, VT and afterwards I hit a few locations on the way home back in the Granite State. I first stopped at the water treatment plant in Charlestown. There wasn't much around as far as notable species but there were two "Gray Ghost" male NORTHERN HARRIERS flying over the cornfields south of the plant.

Later, just before 1:30pm, I was on my way to the Lake Sunapee State Beach in Newbury when something caught my eye at the Mount Sunapee traffic circle. A gentleman was pulled over and taking a picture of something near the cemetery at the end of Route 103B. I looked again and noticed a BARRED OWL flying to perch on the chain link fence that surrounds the cemetery. I stopped and was able to watch this bird actively hunting along the fence at only a few yards away and in beautiful lighting. After staring intently at one spot for several minutes, the owl plunged into the grass but came back up several seconds later empty handed (or empty taloned?). This bird seemed to pay me no attention even though I was quite close to it. I was able to get several photos including one as it was flying. The following link is to an album of the photos I got.

https://flickr.com/photos/103784740@N03/sets/72157675817889011

When I finally got to the State Beach there were two drake COMMON GOLDENEYES just off shore and one MALLARD X AMERICAN BLACK DUCK HYBRID flew into Chandler Brook with a group of Mallards. 

-Dylan Jackson

Sunapee

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