Hancock nighthawks, etc. and Newfound Lake birding boat tour

[Phil Brown]

I finally had a chance to look for nighthawks tonight (instead of just seeing them in passing or over my yard, which is marginal for watching migration). Alerted by a few pre-evening birds in the sky over my house in Hancock this evening, and then a flock of nearly 30 birds at 7 pm, I decided to watch from Powder Mill Pond, a known location from where Don and Lillian Stokes have historically documented some of the state's biggest nighthawk flights. The Stokes' current absence has meant that regular coverage has been lacking, and I was able to spend 20 minutes counting birds - tallying 174 between 7:17-7:37 pm. Given the lateness of my observations of several large groups of 40-60 birds (all heading south) and having some familiarity with the history of flights here, I suspect there were hundreds of more birds before I had arrived...but who will ever know?

Yard birding has ticked up of late with a new yard bird added yesterday morning at 6 am as I read to my son on the couch, glancing up at what I had hoped would be a nighthawk. It turned out to be a great egret in very early morning light, heading due east from a roost site. A merlin hunted dragonflies this evening before the nighthawks arrived, and one was present at Pack Monadnock today (along with a few broad-winged hawks and turkey vultures) on a hike up the mountain with my family.

Also yesterday, I guided a birding boat tour on Newfound Lake out of the Gray Rocks Marina (in partnership with the Newfound Lake Regional Association) for NH Audubon Birdathon donors. As the rain cleared and the boat motored out, I had hopes for a black tern or another grounded waterbird - but no luck with any rarities. We did have a productive birding tour, however, with several highlights and nice looks including 4 bald eagles (2 adults and 2 juveniles), 1 green heron, 1 solitary sandpiper, 1 merlin, 15+ ring-billed gulls, and several species of waterfowl including a possible hybrid Scaup sp. X ring-necked duck! Still analyzing photos and will post again with anything conclusive.

Phil Brown

Hancock, NH

[Steven Smith]

I stopped at Powder Mill Pond yesterday evening where it is next to route 202 in Bennington and got a rough count of 350 Night Hawks - most of them were high up and not feeding but going South following the Contoocook river South - even though I had to use binoculars to see the Night Hawks it was still a spectacular view with pink clouds and a beautiful evening. I suspect a lot more went thru before I got there.

Steve

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