NH November Challenge - Overall highlights
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Steve Mirick
Dec 6, 2021, 2:06:32 PM12/6/21
to nhbirds
I figured I would weigh in on what I thought were some of the coolest
sightings of November 2021 across the State. Apologies if I miss some.
Overall - According to eBird, the State recorded 195 species (+ two 1/2
species!) in 2021. This compares to 200 species in 2020, 179 species in
2019 and 207 species in 2018! Not a lot of vagrants, and surprisingly
few lingering warblers. But nice numbers of pelagic birds and almost
all of the northern finches and specialty birds.
Highlights
--------------
Brant - A great fall for inland migrating Brant. Flocks over Pack
Monadnock included 50 on 11/17 and 22 on 11/2. And 115 over Dartmouth
on 11/2 (Morin, Jones)
Common Eider - 2 inland birds in Lyme on 11/12 (R. Lovejoy)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Record late bird found by Susan Hunter seen
up until 11/10 in Bedford.
Sora - Very late record of 2 birds from Salem by K. Wilmarth on 11/2.
Sandhill Crane - Now somewhat routine in November, but a flock of 32
over Pack Monadnock on 11/20 must have been an amazing sight!
Baird's Sandpiper - Record late bird continued up until 11/9 in Rye.
Long-billed Dowitcher - Fortunately, this great shorebird continued
(barely) into November from way up in Erroll. Thanks to Paul Charron
for finding it on 11/1 before everything froze!
Red Phalarope - It's had to explain where this bizarre bird came from as
it landed (in non storm conditions) at the Rochester WTP on 11/17
(Tillman, Heron). Very late inland sighting.
Alcids - 5 species offshore thanks to a lot of boat trips. Also Great
Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, and Pomarine Jaeger. Great total of
pelagic birds for November.
Snowy Egret - Rare in NH in November, one lingered until 11/14. A
personal late date and the 3rd latest for NH.
Cattle Egret - A great month for Cattle Egrets in NH. Highlighted by a
single group of 19 (!!!!) in North Hampton on 11/1 and a bird way up in
Lancaster found by A. Griffin on 11/14.
White-eyed Vireo - Bird found by Donna Ellis in Hopkinton was very rare
for that part (or any part) of the State!
Red-eyed Vireo - A bird that flew into a window in Wolfeboro on 11/5 and
reported by D. Stephens was far north for November and the only one
recorded.
Barn Swallow - A remarkable "fallout" of very late Barn Swallows
occurred in mid-November which included as many as 6 birds on 11/21.
Harris's Sparrow - I didn't see it in November, but my bird from October
in Greenland lingered into early November and may be the rarest species
reported for the month. Vagrant from the west.
Bullock's Oriole - In a close second place, this bird found by Alex
Lamoreaux in Dover on 11/24 may be the 2nd rarest species of the month.
Vagrant from the west.
American Restart - An adult male on 11/21 photographed by L. Mortell is
an exceptional find for Unity and the only one in NH for November.
Black-throated Green Warbler - A bird photographed by J. Maher in North
Conway is very rare on 11/8 for the White Mountains region!
Rarest bird that didn't count!!!
------------------------------------------
The beautiful, infamous, and enigmatic hybrid Tropical/Couch's Kingbird
X Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found by J. Lambert is without a doubt the
rarest bird reported for the month. Staying for a couple of weeks and
seen by lots of people. Sadly, we can't put a very accurate "label" on
it and eBird doesn't count it as a species. But for those "listers"
out there who haven't seen any of the parent species, I maintain that
you can add it as a species to your "life list" for world, NH, etc.
(IMHO). But can I add it as a 1/2 species since I've seen
Scissor-tailed in NH? :-)
Misses
----------
Harlequin Duck, King Eider, Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose,
Eurasian Wigeon, Red-headed Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Saltmarsh Sparrow,
Nelson's Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Bohemian Waxwing. Also, only 10
species of warblers for the whole state for the month. Interesting that
there have been as many species of warblers in the first week of
December as all of November!
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
sightings of November 2021 across the State. Apologies if I miss some.
Overall - According to eBird, the State recorded 195 species (+ two 1/2
species!) in 2021. This compares to 200 species in 2020, 179 species in
2019 and 207 species in 2018! Not a lot of vagrants, and surprisingly
few lingering warblers. But nice numbers of pelagic birds and almost
all of the northern finches and specialty birds.
Highlights
--------------
Brant - A great fall for inland migrating Brant. Flocks over Pack
Monadnock included 50 on 11/17 and 22 on 11/2. And 115 over Dartmouth
on 11/2 (Morin, Jones)
Common Eider - 2 inland birds in Lyme on 11/12 (R. Lovejoy)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Record late bird found by Susan Hunter seen
up until 11/10 in Bedford.
Sora - Very late record of 2 birds from Salem by K. Wilmarth on 11/2.
Sandhill Crane - Now somewhat routine in November, but a flock of 32
over Pack Monadnock on 11/20 must have been an amazing sight!
Baird's Sandpiper - Record late bird continued up until 11/9 in Rye.
Long-billed Dowitcher - Fortunately, this great shorebird continued
(barely) into November from way up in Erroll. Thanks to Paul Charron
for finding it on 11/1 before everything froze!
Red Phalarope - It's had to explain where this bizarre bird came from as
it landed (in non storm conditions) at the Rochester WTP on 11/17
(Tillman, Heron). Very late inland sighting.
Alcids - 5 species offshore thanks to a lot of boat trips. Also Great
Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, and Pomarine Jaeger. Great total of
pelagic birds for November.
Snowy Egret - Rare in NH in November, one lingered until 11/14. A
personal late date and the 3rd latest for NH.
Cattle Egret - A great month for Cattle Egrets in NH. Highlighted by a
single group of 19 (!!!!) in North Hampton on 11/1 and a bird way up in
Lancaster found by A. Griffin on 11/14.
White-eyed Vireo - Bird found by Donna Ellis in Hopkinton was very rare
for that part (or any part) of the State!
Red-eyed Vireo - A bird that flew into a window in Wolfeboro on 11/5 and
reported by D. Stephens was far north for November and the only one
recorded.
Barn Swallow - A remarkable "fallout" of very late Barn Swallows
occurred in mid-November which included as many as 6 birds on 11/21.
Harris's Sparrow - I didn't see it in November, but my bird from October
in Greenland lingered into early November and may be the rarest species
reported for the month. Vagrant from the west.
Bullock's Oriole - In a close second place, this bird found by Alex
Lamoreaux in Dover on 11/24 may be the 2nd rarest species of the month.
Vagrant from the west.
American Restart - An adult male on 11/21 photographed by L. Mortell is
an exceptional find for Unity and the only one in NH for November.
Black-throated Green Warbler - A bird photographed by J. Maher in North
Conway is very rare on 11/8 for the White Mountains region!
Rarest bird that didn't count!!!
------------------------------------------
The beautiful, infamous, and enigmatic hybrid Tropical/Couch's Kingbird
X Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found by J. Lambert is without a doubt the
rarest bird reported for the month. Staying for a couple of weeks and
seen by lots of people. Sadly, we can't put a very accurate "label" on
it and eBird doesn't count it as a species. But for those "listers"
out there who haven't seen any of the parent species, I maintain that
you can add it as a species to your "life list" for world, NH, etc.
(IMHO). But can I add it as a 1/2 species since I've seen
Scissor-tailed in NH? :-)
Misses
----------
Harlequin Duck, King Eider, Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose,
Eurasian Wigeon, Red-headed Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Saltmarsh Sparrow,
Nelson's Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Bohemian Waxwing. Also, only 10
species of warblers for the whole state for the month. Interesting that
there have been as many species of warblers in the first week of
December as all of November!
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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