Date: 5/11/25 2:08 pm From: 'Steve Mirick' via NHBirds <nhbirds...> Subject: Re: [NHBirds] May 11th: a red-letter day
Jon and others....thanks to the hard work from a few individuals, the
number of colonies of Purple Martins in NH has grown. There are now
gourds with nesting Purple Martins located:
1) Cross Beach Road in Seabrook
2) Island Path in Hampton
3) Goss Farm in Rye
4) Awcomin Marsh (north side) in Rye
This species had come very close to vanishing as a nesting species in
NH, but is now (barely) holding on with these colonies. The cold/wet
weather of the last few days is very difficult for them. The volunteers
gave them meal worms which they readily accepted. Otherwise, it is not
uncommon for birds to die.
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
P.S. Unlikely Seaside Sparrows to be seen at Ragged Neck. Savannah
Sparrows is (by far) the most likely sparrow here.
>
> After that I headed over to the coast and made a couple of stops
> there.
> There was a pair of Willets in Fairhill salt marsh, and a Snowy Egret
> there too. Some Great Egrets a little further south. Nothing else
> really stood out until I got to Ragged Neck, where I found some
> lingering Surf and Black scoters, some Common Eiders, and the
> second big
> prize of the day: at least three or four PURPLE MARTINS buzzing
> around,
> along with Barn and Tree swallows, Song Sparrows, and what looked
> like a
> couple of Seaside Sparrows. I've seen Purple Martins in Seabrook,
> but
> never north of there. Is there a new colony of them near Ragged Neck?
>
