Date: 5/24/26 5:09 pm From: Anthony Tzortzakis <anthuny7723...> Subject: Re: [NHBirds] Statewide Big Day - Friday 5/22 with 155 Species
What an amazing experience! Thanks for sharing!
On Sun, May 24, 2026 at 6:45 AM Ashton Almeida <ashtonipod...> wrote:
> Steve and Jane Mirick invited me to join them on their yearly Big Day, and
> I couldn't pass up the opportunity. What followed was 18 hours of nonstop
> birding across New Hampshire from 2 AM in Salem to nightfall at Seabrook
> Town Forest.
>
> We started in the cold darkness in Salem for Virginia Rail and Sora.
> Virginia Rail came easily, but Sora, a bird I've tried for multiple times
> at different locations, once again refused to show. Even at a reliable
> spot, it eluded me. My nemesis bird remains undefeated.
>
> From there we headed north to Concord, where I finally got my lifer
> Whip-poor-will. Hearing that iconic call for the first time was incredible.
> We added American Robins and Woodcocks before pushing farther north to
> Franconia. Along the way, we picked up Hermit Thrush, Swainson's Thrush,
> and Winter Wren. At a red light, two ducks flew over and Steve yelled
> "COMMON MERGANSER!" which was perfect timing since we'd just been talking
> about how tough they can be. They ended up being our only two for the day.
>
> By the time we reached Whitefield, it was a chilly 29 degrees. Sunrise
> around Mount Washington Regional Airport delivered 10 warbler species along
> Hazen Road, and Airport Marsh and Localizer Drive kept the momentum going.
> At Pondicherry, Steve heard Mourning Warbler singing less than 5 minutes
> into the walk. Luckily it kept singing so we all got to hear it again.
> Trudeau Road gave us 3 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, a flock of 12 Pine
> Siskins, and 7 warbler species including 2 Tennessees.
>
> Heading back south to Concord Airport, Steve found our only American
> Kestrel of the day, I picked out a singing Brown Creeper, and we got 2
> Grasshopper Sparrows. We missed Vesper Sparrow here and for the entire day.
> At Pawtuckaway State Park, we picked up Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, and
> Red-eyed Vireos. Jane and I heard a Louisiana Waterthrush call a couple of
> times, but it never showed again. We continued to try and get a better look
> at this bird, but it was tougher than expected. Oddly, there wasn't a
> single Least Flycatcher here when there are usually plenty.
>
> After leaving Pawtuckaway, the day really started to explode. Newmarket
> delivered Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Blue-winged Warbler easily, and a quick
> stop at Newmarket Town Landing gave us our only Pileated Woodpecker calling
> from the woods. It was now 1 PM, and we finally heard our Carolina Wren and
> Red-bellied Woodpeckers of the day from the car! A stop at Piscassic Park
> got us our first Downy Woodpecker of the day as the temperature hit a high
> of 68 degrees.
>
> Woodridge Park in Durham was the true highlight of the day. On our way in,
> we got our first Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but then Jane picked out a
> MISSISSIPPI KITE soaring above a Red-tailed Hawk! As we pulled into the
> park for better looks, Steve immediately called out an OLIVE-SIDED
> FLYCATCHER perched on a dead snag, which was another lifer for me!
> Newmarket and Durham gave us so many new species back-to-back it was
> unbelievable, and it didn't end there. Heading back into Newmarket, Jane
> unbelievably picked out a BLACK VULTURE! We pulled over and saw 2 MORE
> soaring behind it. They kept offering me the front seat to take a break,
> but there was no way in hell I could take that spot from Jane. Just an
> unbelievable spotter.
>
> We stopped at Deer Hill WMA and missed Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron, and
> Orchard Oriole. None of which we got for the day. Finishing along the
> coast, we crossed off gulls, terns, and shorebirds. Notable birds included
> Bonaparte's Gulls at multiple locations (40+ at a couple spots), Roseate
> Terns, a Red-necked Grebe Steve picked out sleeping on Rye Ledge, and 2
> Red-throated Loons at different locations. I spotted a Little Blue Heron
> flying over the marsh on Huckleberry Lane, and we had an unusual sighting
> of 2 Black-crowned Night Herons just offshore at Pulpit Rocks. At Pease,
> Jane picked out an Upland Sandpiper sitting on a stump along the runway
> which again, just another incredible spot. Unfortunately, we missed
> Meadowlark but were grateful for the uppie.
>
> Throughout the day we'd missed Barred Owl and Solitary Sandpiper, so I
> promised we'd get them at Seabrook Town Forest. We arrived as the sun set
> and had no luck with Solitary. Continuing into the forest, Jane and I
> picked up a Woodcock, and a Nighthawk that flew over. Steve kept doing his
> Barred Owl call, but nothing responded. We made our way to the powerline
> corridor for better looks at Nighthawks when a Barred Owl finally called
> back from deep in the woods. Moments later, I heard Nighthawks flying
> overhead and got both Steve and Jane on them to finish the day.
>
> We finished with 155 species after over 18 hours of birding. I couldn't
> have experienced my first Big Day with better people, and I will never
> forget this day of constant excitement. By the time I got home, I'd been up
> for over 24 hours...
>
> eBird Trip Report <https://ebird.org/tripreport/526948> >
> Complete List:
> Canada Goose
> Wood Duck
> Mallard
> American Black Duck
> Ring-necked Duck
> Common Eider
> Surf Scoter
> White-winged Scoter
> Black Scoter
> Long-tailed Duck
> Hooded Merganser
> Common Merganser
> Red-breasted Merganser
> Wild Turkey
> Rock Pigeon
> Mourning Dove
> Common Nighthawk
> Eastern Whip-poor-will
> Chimney Swift
> Ruby-throated Hummingbird
> Virginia Rail
> Black-bellied Plover
> Killdeer
> Semipalmated Plover
> Piping Plover
> Upland Sandpiper
> American Woodcock
> Wilson's Snipe
> Spotted Sandpiper
> Lesser Yellowlegs
> Willet
> Greater Yellowlegs
> Dunlin
> Purple Sandpiper
> Least Sandpiper
> Bonaparte's Gull
> Ring-billed Gull
> American Herring Gull
> Great Black-backed Gull
> Least Tern
> Common Tern
> Roseate Tern
> Red-necked Grebe
> Red-throated Loon
> Common Loon
> Double-crested Cormorant
> Glossy Ibis
> Black-crowned Night Heron
> Little Blue Heron
> Snowy Egret
> Great Egret
> Great Blue Heron
> Black Vulture
> Turkey Vulture
> Osprey
> Bald Eagle
> Mississippi Kite
> Broad-winged Hawk
> Red-tailed Hawk
> Barred Owl
> Belted Kingfisher
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
> Red-bellied Woodpecker
> Downy Woodpecker
> Hairy Woodpecker
> Pileated Woodpecker
> Northern Flicker
> American Kestrel
> Olive-sided Flycatcher
> Eastern Wood-Pewee
> Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
> Alder Flycatcher
> Least Flycatcher
> Eastern Phoebe
> Great Crested Flycatcher
> Eastern Kingbird
> Yellow-throated Vireo
> Blue-headed Vireo
> Eastern Warbling Vireo
> Red-eyed Vireo
> Blue Jay
> American Crow
> Common Raven
> Black-capped Chickadee
> Tufted Titmouse
> Bank Swallow
> Tree Swallow
> Purple Martin
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow
> Barn Swallow
> Golden-crowned Kinglet
> White-breasted Nuthatch
> Red-breasted Nuthatch
> Brown Creeper
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
> Northern House Wren
> Winter Wren
> Marsh Wren
> Carolina Wren
> European Starling
> Gray Catbird
> Brown Thrasher
> Northern Mockingbird
> Eastern Bluebird
> Veery
> Swainson's Thrush
> Hermit Thrush
> Wood Thrush
> American Robin
> Cedar Waxwing
> House Sparrow
> House Finch
> Purple Finch
> Pine Siskin
> American Goldfinch
> Grasshopper Sparrow
> Chipping Sparrow
> Field Sparrow
> Dark-eyed Junco
> White-throated Sparrow
> Savannah Sparrow
> Song Sparrow
> Swamp Sparrow
> Eastern Towhee
> Bobolink
> Baltimore Oriole
> Red-winged Blackbird
> Brown-headed Cowbird
> Common Grackle
> Ovenbird
> Louisiana Waterthrush
> Northern Waterthrush
> Blue-winged Warbler
> Black-and-white Warbler
> Tennessee Warbler
> Nashville Warbler
> Mourning Warbler
> Common Yellowthroat
> American Redstart
> Northern Parula
> Magnolia Warbler
> Bay-breasted Warbler
> Blackburnian Warbler
> Northern Yellow Warbler
> Chestnut-sided Warbler
> Black-throated Blue Warbler
> Pine Warbler
> Yellow-rumped Warbler
> Prairie Warbler
> Black-throated Green Warbler
> Canada Warbler
> Wilson's Warbler
> Scarlet Tanager
> Northern Cardinal
> Rose-breasted Grosbeak
>
> Target Birds we Missed:
> Blackpoll Warbler
> Sora
> Orchard Oriole
> Solitary Sandpiper
> Green Heron
> Pied-billed Grebe
> Eastern Meadowlark
> Willow Flycatcher
> American Bittern
> Indigo Bunting
>
>
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