Birds & Bugs Big Day (Mississippi Kite, American Bittern, Brant, Whooper Swan, Sparkling Jewelwing)
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Steve Mirick
Jul 3, 2015, 9:12:03 PM7/3/15
to NH Birds
Today, Jane and I did our third annual 4th of July "Birds & Bugs Big
Day" where we attempted to see or hear as many species of birds,
dragonflies and butterflies as we can in a single day. Once again, not
an all-out effort, but still managed to give it our all from about 5:15
AM to 6:30 PM.
We had our best year for birds with 106 species (107 if you include
Whooper Swan), but we didn't get any mega rarities like the Pacific Loon
and Western Kingbird last year! And we still missed a lot and barely
got several species. In fact, we only had one species of woodpecker
until 6:15 PM!! We picked up Hairy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker in
our last 15 minutes of birding! And only 5 species of warblers. As
usual, we started on the coast at dawn. We actually HAVE to start on
the coast due to the crowds. By 10:00, the coast was already packed,
and we were leaving!
Dragonflies were slow, and common species were not common at all. And
one of nice spots for dragonflies in Newington is now gated so we can't
go in there anymore. Highlights were a Sparkling Jewelwing and a nice
Least Clubtail on the Lamprey River in Lee. And I caught a (slightly
early?) Canada Darner for my first net catch since the broken elbow!
Butterflies were also slow again despite lots of flowering milkweed and
dogbane. Only Cabbage Whites were abundant. Nice numbers of Great
Spangled Fritillaries at the end of the runways in Newington was a
treat. And a single Spice-bush Swallowtail and our first Monarch of the
year were also nice from these fields. Skippers were very scarce with
only European, Least and Silver-spotted present.
Weather was sunny all day with light to moderate winds out of the north.
Temperatures started cool in the upper 50's rising into the low 80's.
A few photos from today including the American Bittern, Nelson's
Sparrow, a fritillary, baby Bank Swallows, Least Clubtail, and a monster
snapping turtle:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/40298884@N06/
BIRDS - 107 SPECIES (if you include the Whooper Swan)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRANT - 3 together off Rye Ledge. Rare, but a couple of other July
records. (7/27/10, 7/12/14)
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
WHOOPER SWAN - 1 bird on Lamprey Pond in Hampton. Escaped/feral bird,
but is it the same bird that has been seen in Exeter and Newmarket? Or
is there more than one around?
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Common Eider
White-winged Scoter - About 8 over-summering off North Hampton State Beach
BLACK SCOTER - About 12 over-summering off North Hampton State Beach
Wild Turkey
Common Loon - About 4 or 5 along coast.
NORTHERN GANNET - One bird not aged off Seabrook Beach.
Double-crested Cormorant
AMERICAN BITTERN - 1 in Hampton salt marsh behind Little Jack's. Rare
but a few records from here in mid-summer. (7/17/08, 6/6/10, 7/10/10,
7/4/11 and 7/9/11)
Great Blue Heron - 12 in Hampton harbor
Great Egret - 53 with 51 counted in Hampton harbor from single spot.
High count for early July.
Snowy Egret - 26 adults scattered along coast.
Green Heron - 3 total for the day.
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 5 in Hampton harbor. 4 adults, 1 first cycle.
Turkey Vulture
Osprey - Including views of radio-tagged "Staddler" off Cross Beach Road
in Seabrook. Female on nest with at least one chick.
MISSISSIPPI KITE - ZERO ALONG GONET ROAD. We checked twice an hour
apart, but no birds at nest!! I'm hoping....perhaps....that the adults
were off getting food for a bird in the nest, but it's possible the nest
failed. WE DID GET a single bird soaring over the Elementary School off
Route 152. This is a 2nd territory, but as of yet, no nest has been found.
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
AMERICAN KESTREL - 1 male at nest box off Lee Hook Road in Lee. A now
rare nesting species in southeastern NH!
MERLIN - 1 perched on utility pole at Bicentennial Park in Hampton. Rare
July record.
PEREGRINE FALCON - 1 adult on kill at edge of harbor in salt marsh in
Hampton.
Virginia Rail - No Soras despite a bit of effort this year.
PIPING PLOVER - Adult with 2+ chicks on Hampton Beach.
Killdeer - Two broods of chicks.
Greater Yellowlegs - 1 in Little River salt marsh.
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4 in Hampton salt marsh - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS
OF YEAR.
Upland Sandpiper - 1 on tarmac from Short Road at Pease Tradeport.
Distant views.
Least Sandpiper - 4 in Hampton salt marsh - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS OF
YEAR.
Short-billed Dowitcher - 3 in Hampton harbor - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS
OF YEAR.
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
LEAST TERN - 2 on Hampton Beach (1 on nest). Same or different bird in
Hampton harbor. Another bird in Hampton salt marsh.
Roseate Tern - At least a couple off Hampton beach.
Common Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow - 2 in Hampton, 1 in North Hampton.
Common Raven - 2 in Newmarket.
PURPLE MARTIN - At gourds off Cross Beach Road in Seabrook.
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow - Adorable youngsters in holes at large colony in
Newmarket. See photo.
Cliff Swallow - At least a couple seen in New Castle.
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - 1 singing nicely in Kingston late in day.
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Pine Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
NELSON'S SPARROW - 1 singing in Phibrick Marsh in North Hampton. My
first of the year. This is one of the few places away from Great Bay
where they are regular nesters, but I have had a hard time finding any
before today.
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole - One singing several times in mid-afternoon at Sunset
Farm in Greenland.
Baltimore Oriole - Only one for day.
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
DRAGONFLIES - 25 SPECIES
---------------------------------------
SPARKLING JEWELWING - 1 photographed in Lamprey River in Lee.
Ebony Jewelwing
Spreadwing sp.
Variable Dancer - Beautiful concentrated group of females ovipositing in
Newmarket with males hanging on and sticking up in the air.
Powdered Dancer
"blue" Bluet sp.
Orange Bluet - Several at Exeter treatment plant.
Fragile Forktail
Eastern Forktail
Canada Darner - One caught on Green Road in Kingston. A bit early?
Common Green Darner
Common Sanddragon - Fairly confident in ID, but distant views. From
known location in Lee, but with sand banks covered from recent rains.
Eastern Least Clubtail
Seaside Dragonlet - Very few in coastal marshes.
Dot-tailed Whiteface - Seen from several locations.
Spangled Skimmer
Slaty Skimmer
Widow Skimmer
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Painted Skimmer - A couple on coast.
Blue Dasher
Wandering Glider - One
Spot-winged Glider - About 3 or 4.
Common Whitetail
Black Saddlebags - Two on Lamprey Pond in Hampton.
BUTTERFLIES - 14 SPECIES
-----------------------------------
Silver-spotted Skipper
Duskywing sp.
Least Skipper
European Skipper
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail - 1 in Newington.
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulphur
Orange Sulphur
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Monarch - 1 in Newington. First of year.
Great Spangled Fritillary
Red Admiral
American Lady - Just one for day.
Steve & Jane Mirick
Bradford, MA
Day" where we attempted to see or hear as many species of birds,
dragonflies and butterflies as we can in a single day. Once again, not
an all-out effort, but still managed to give it our all from about 5:15
AM to 6:30 PM.
We had our best year for birds with 106 species (107 if you include
Whooper Swan), but we didn't get any mega rarities like the Pacific Loon
and Western Kingbird last year! And we still missed a lot and barely
got several species. In fact, we only had one species of woodpecker
until 6:15 PM!! We picked up Hairy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker in
our last 15 minutes of birding! And only 5 species of warblers. As
usual, we started on the coast at dawn. We actually HAVE to start on
the coast due to the crowds. By 10:00, the coast was already packed,
and we were leaving!
Dragonflies were slow, and common species were not common at all. And
one of nice spots for dragonflies in Newington is now gated so we can't
go in there anymore. Highlights were a Sparkling Jewelwing and a nice
Least Clubtail on the Lamprey River in Lee. And I caught a (slightly
early?) Canada Darner for my first net catch since the broken elbow!
Butterflies were also slow again despite lots of flowering milkweed and
dogbane. Only Cabbage Whites were abundant. Nice numbers of Great
Spangled Fritillaries at the end of the runways in Newington was a
treat. And a single Spice-bush Swallowtail and our first Monarch of the
year were also nice from these fields. Skippers were very scarce with
only European, Least and Silver-spotted present.
Weather was sunny all day with light to moderate winds out of the north.
Temperatures started cool in the upper 50's rising into the low 80's.
A few photos from today including the American Bittern, Nelson's
Sparrow, a fritillary, baby Bank Swallows, Least Clubtail, and a monster
snapping turtle:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/40298884@N06/
BIRDS - 107 SPECIES (if you include the Whooper Swan)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRANT - 3 together off Rye Ledge. Rare, but a couple of other July
records. (7/27/10, 7/12/14)
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
WHOOPER SWAN - 1 bird on Lamprey Pond in Hampton. Escaped/feral bird,
but is it the same bird that has been seen in Exeter and Newmarket? Or
is there more than one around?
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Common Eider
White-winged Scoter - About 8 over-summering off North Hampton State Beach
BLACK SCOTER - About 12 over-summering off North Hampton State Beach
Wild Turkey
Common Loon - About 4 or 5 along coast.
NORTHERN GANNET - One bird not aged off Seabrook Beach.
Double-crested Cormorant
AMERICAN BITTERN - 1 in Hampton salt marsh behind Little Jack's. Rare
but a few records from here in mid-summer. (7/17/08, 6/6/10, 7/10/10,
7/4/11 and 7/9/11)
Great Blue Heron - 12 in Hampton harbor
Great Egret - 53 with 51 counted in Hampton harbor from single spot.
High count for early July.
Snowy Egret - 26 adults scattered along coast.
Green Heron - 3 total for the day.
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 5 in Hampton harbor. 4 adults, 1 first cycle.
Turkey Vulture
Osprey - Including views of radio-tagged "Staddler" off Cross Beach Road
in Seabrook. Female on nest with at least one chick.
MISSISSIPPI KITE - ZERO ALONG GONET ROAD. We checked twice an hour
apart, but no birds at nest!! I'm hoping....perhaps....that the adults
were off getting food for a bird in the nest, but it's possible the nest
failed. WE DID GET a single bird soaring over the Elementary School off
Route 152. This is a 2nd territory, but as of yet, no nest has been found.
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
AMERICAN KESTREL - 1 male at nest box off Lee Hook Road in Lee. A now
rare nesting species in southeastern NH!
MERLIN - 1 perched on utility pole at Bicentennial Park in Hampton. Rare
July record.
PEREGRINE FALCON - 1 adult on kill at edge of harbor in salt marsh in
Hampton.
Virginia Rail - No Soras despite a bit of effort this year.
PIPING PLOVER - Adult with 2+ chicks on Hampton Beach.
Killdeer - Two broods of chicks.
Greater Yellowlegs - 1 in Little River salt marsh.
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4 in Hampton salt marsh - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS
OF YEAR.
Upland Sandpiper - 1 on tarmac from Short Road at Pease Tradeport.
Distant views.
Least Sandpiper - 4 in Hampton salt marsh - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS OF
YEAR.
Short-billed Dowitcher - 3 in Hampton harbor - FIRST SOUTHBOUND MIGRANTS
OF YEAR.
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
LEAST TERN - 2 on Hampton Beach (1 on nest). Same or different bird in
Hampton harbor. Another bird in Hampton salt marsh.
Roseate Tern - At least a couple off Hampton beach.
Common Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow - 2 in Hampton, 1 in North Hampton.
Common Raven - 2 in Newmarket.
PURPLE MARTIN - At gourds off Cross Beach Road in Seabrook.
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow - Adorable youngsters in holes at large colony in
Newmarket. See photo.
Cliff Swallow - At least a couple seen in New Castle.
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - 1 singing nicely in Kingston late in day.
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Pine Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
NELSON'S SPARROW - 1 singing in Phibrick Marsh in North Hampton. My
first of the year. This is one of the few places away from Great Bay
where they are regular nesters, but I have had a hard time finding any
before today.
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole - One singing several times in mid-afternoon at Sunset
Farm in Greenland.
Baltimore Oriole - Only one for day.
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
DRAGONFLIES - 25 SPECIES
---------------------------------------
SPARKLING JEWELWING - 1 photographed in Lamprey River in Lee.
Ebony Jewelwing
Spreadwing sp.
Variable Dancer - Beautiful concentrated group of females ovipositing in
Newmarket with males hanging on and sticking up in the air.
Powdered Dancer
"blue" Bluet sp.
Orange Bluet - Several at Exeter treatment plant.
Fragile Forktail
Eastern Forktail
Canada Darner - One caught on Green Road in Kingston. A bit early?
Common Green Darner
Common Sanddragon - Fairly confident in ID, but distant views. From
known location in Lee, but with sand banks covered from recent rains.
Eastern Least Clubtail
Seaside Dragonlet - Very few in coastal marshes.
Dot-tailed Whiteface - Seen from several locations.
Spangled Skimmer
Slaty Skimmer
Widow Skimmer
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Painted Skimmer - A couple on coast.
Blue Dasher
Wandering Glider - One
Spot-winged Glider - About 3 or 4.
Common Whitetail
Black Saddlebags - Two on Lamprey Pond in Hampton.
BUTTERFLIES - 14 SPECIES
-----------------------------------
Silver-spotted Skipper
Duskywing sp.
Least Skipper
European Skipper
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail - 1 in Newington.
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulphur
Orange Sulphur
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Monarch - 1 in Newington. First of year.
Great Spangled Fritillary
Red Admiral
American Lady - Just one for day.
Steve & Jane Mirick
Bradford, MA
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