The Laconia-New Hampton Christmas Bird Count wast held Saturday, January 4, with 26 field participants and a few feeder watchers. It was a cold and breezy day, and many birders commented on the relative lack of birds (particularly sparrows). But most of the lakes were open and we managed to find our usual mix of waterfowl. The highlight be far was an EASTERN PHOEBE found at the New Hampton fish hatchery by Barry Draper, Robin Gray, and Russ Brummer. Not surprisingly, this was a new species for the count. Also noteworthy was the Double-crested Cormorant that's been hanging around Weirs Beach, and which was relocated by Iain MacLeod and Sue Francesco for a third count record (other two were in 1978 and 1994)
Full list as follows:
Canada Goose - 77
Mallard - 557
American Black Duck - 62 (highest since 2008, we've had several recent counts with single digits)
Great Scaup - 6
Lesser Scaup - 3
Bufflehead - 7
Common Goldeneye - 217
Barrow's Goldeneye - 1 (male on Winnisquam)
Hooded Merganser - 179
Common Merganser - 144
Ruffed Grouse - 2
Wild Turkey - 254 (2nd highest count ever)
Rock Pigeon - 158
Mourning Dove - 83 (on the low end)
Ring-billed Gull - 129
American Herring Gull - 4
Common Loon - 15 (2nd highest)
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2
Cooper's Hawk - 4 (record high)
Bald Eagle - 18 (record high, might be some double counting but too hard to sort it out)
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 (6th record)
Red-tailed Hawk - 29 (record high, possibly some doubles due to a roost, but still well above previous high of 16)
Barred Owl - 2
Belted Kingfisher - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 30 (record high)
Downy Woodpecker - 100
Hairy Woodpecker - 45
Pileated Woodpecker - 8
Northern Flicker - 3
Merlin - 2 (4th record)
Eastern Phoebe - 1
Northern Shrike - 1 (old Laconia State School)
Blue Jay - 316
American Crow - 600 (estimate of roost near Belknap Mall at dawn)
Common Raven - 41 (new record)
Black-capped Chickadee - 797
Tufted Titmouse - 286 (new record)
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 10
White-breasted Nuthatch - 106
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 18
Brown Creeper - 15
Carolina Wren - 13 (new record, old record was 7)
European Starling - 504
Northern Mockingbird - 10
Eastern Bluebird - 145 (new record, old record 109)
Hermit Thrush - 3 (ties record)
American Robin - 969
Cedar Waxwing - 155
Bohemian Waxwing - 2
House Sparrow - 101
House Finch - 219
Purple Finch - 5
American Goldfinch - 203
Snow Bunting - 1
American Tree Sparrow - 33
Fox Sparrow - 1 (7th record)
Dark-eyed Junco - 258
White-throated Sparrow - 40
Song Sparrow - 4
Northern Cardinal - 219
Biggest miss was probably Winter Wren, which seem pretty widespread this winter, but they were probably hunkered down and quiet due to the wind.
Enjoy the rest of January.
Pam Hunt, compiler
Penacook
