Date: 12/26/25 8:11 am From: '<dhtucker...>' via NHBirds <nhbirds...> Subject: [NHBirds] Coastal CBC
The Coastal NH CBC took place on Sat, Dec 20. Forty-two birders and feeder-watchers found 18,209 birds of 104 species. There is also a count week record of Dunlin in Seabrook. The day began cold and windy but finished warmish and sunny. Rain on Friday wiped out snow cover, allowing species like Canada Geese to feed away from Great Bay in open fields. An absence of mergansers on the bay remains a mystery, however. Sea ducks, grebes and loons numbers were low, as in general numbers for species across the board are lowering.
Turkey vulture numbers remain strong, though as with many raptor type birds they may be double counted. Two Black Vultures haunted Kensington. Nineteen Bald Eagles indicate there's food for apex raptors out there. Sixty-eight Red Tailed Hawks declared a war on voles.
Gull numbers overall were low. Only 2 Bonaparte's, and 41 Greater black-backs. No Iceland or Glaucous Gulls.
A bright spot was the presence of 13 owls of 4 species, including 8 Great Horned Owls.
Passerines were fairly well represented by species though less so by number. Mourning Doves counted 165, Blue Jays 136, Tufted Titmouse 272. Eastern Bluebirds continue strong with 316 across the circle, with 85 in Greenland! A few species showed up in very small quantities: 1 Orange-crowned Warbler and a Common Yellowthroat in Hampton; 1 Yellow-breasted Chat in Portsmouth; 2 Pine Warblers in Kensington; and a Lapland Longspur in Seabrook no doubt adopted by larks and snow buntings. Len Medlock poached a Brown Thrasher on Kimball Rd. A Purple Finch and two Brown-headed Cowbirds also graced the Kensington list, along with an octet of Evening Grosbeaks! Overall numbers of Juncos (544) kept pace with Goldfinches (608) with House Finches bringing up the rear (428). American Robins appear to cleared out early this year with a count of only 84.
Many thanks to everyone who helped out with the count! A few extra thanks to Steve Mesick, May Buckingham and Emily who blanketed Hampton Falls, and added a Winter Wren to the count. And blessings to Caitlin Milhomme of Kingston, who, with her two boys aged 10 and 11, did some very useful counting in the Exeter area.
No thanks to the Urban Forestry Center this year however, as they neglected to send me the code to access the building for the annual compilation pot-luck dinner. Hopefully we can find somewhere more reliable to hold the compilation in the future.
Lastly, I now will hand over the compilership to Ben Griffith who will lead next year's effort. The CBC is becoming more technical with computer related "improvements" that I think he will be able to better navigate than can a dinosaur like me. Right on, Ben!
If anyone would like to receive a copy of the excel spreadsheet for the count please just let me know.
