Bell's Vireo at Odiorne Point State Park yesterday

[Steve Mirick]

Brett Hillman found a Bell's Vireo yesterday at Odiorne Point State
Park.  It was very near the "Settler's Monument" and "Pilgrim's Plaque"
along the shoreline trail north of the Science Center.  The bird (as
typical for Bell's Vireo) is a skulker.  It was low in the goldenrod and
very rarely popped up into view.  Fortunately, Jane and Stuart Varney
relocated the bird by its call note and a small group of birders were
able to get some glimpses of it.   Later, a larger group of birders
arrived, but the bird could not be refound. The windy conditions of
today are not good for finding it, but with luck, maybe it will hang in
for tomorrow morning when the winds will be more gentle.

Apparently, this is the 4th accepted record for the State of NH. The
first record came when Ned Dearborn collected a specimen in Durham back
on November 19, 1897!  The specimen is currently in the collection at
Harvard University.  The 2nd record came when Jane and I found a bird in
Exeter at the wastewater treatment plant on 11/1/03 and the 3rd record
came when Jane and I found one at Odiorne Point SP on 10/1/09.  This is
a very rare vagrant from the mid-west; however, there seems to be an
increase in sightings of this species in coastal areas of New England
over the last 20 years.  Photos from yesterday:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S282728976

https://ebird.org/checklist/S282760184

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA