Date: 8/24/26 10:19 am From: Mark Suomala <suomalamark...> Subject: [NHBirds] Rare Bird Alert, New Hampshire, August 24, 2026
This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for August 24th, 2026.
A BRIDLED TERN was seen off of the coast of Odiorne Point State Park in Rye
on August 16th, but has not been relocated.
2 FORSTER’S TERNS were seen at Peirce Island in Portsmouth on the 23rd, and
earlier in the week a FORSTER’S TERN was seen in Back Channel in New Castle
and Portsmouth, also in Fort Stark, and from Odiorne Point State Park in
Rye.
A LITTLE GULL was seen at Odiorne Point State Park on August 23rd.
A BAIRD’S SANDPIPER was seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on August 16
th-19th.
3-4 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were seen at the Isles of Shoals during the
past week.
A MARBLED GODWIT was seen at the Durham Town Landing and Jackson’s Landing
on the Oyster River all during the past week, and it was last reported on
the 22nd.
A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was seen in the south end of Hampton Harbor on August 24
th.
3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were seen at the Eliot Bridge on Gulf Road in Dover
on August 18th.
2 “WESTERN” WILLETS were seen at Odiorne Point State Park on the 18th, and
1 was seen here on the 23rd.
2 juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPERS were seen in Plaice Cove in Hampton on August
24th.
A juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen roosting in a tree along
Route 1A and Tyngsboro Street in Seabrook on August 24th.
7 LITTLE BLUE HERONS were seen in the Parson’s Creek salt marsh located
west of Route 1A and across from Wallis Sands State Beach on August 22nd, 1
was seen Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on the 23rd, 1 was seen at Amazon
Park Pond in Somersworth on the 22nd, 1 was seen at Pickering Ponds in
Rochester on the 23rd, and 1 was seen at Philbrick Marsh in North Hampton
on the 23rd.
A juvenile GLOSSY IBIS was seen in the Connecticut River in Charlestown on
August 23rd.
A SNOWY EGRET was seen at Jackson’s Landing in Durham on August 18th.
A LEAST BITTERN was seen at World End Pond in Salem on August 23rd.
5 GREEN HERONS were seen along the Upper Coos Recreational Trail in
Colebrook on August 19th.
An AMERICAN WIGEON was seen at the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Colebrook
on August 20th.
2 SANDHILL CRANES continue to be seen in fields along Plains Road in Monroe
and were last reported on August 23rd.
A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was seen at the Concord Airport on August 17th, and 1
was seen at the Pease International Tradeport in Newington on the 18th.
2 CAPE MAY WARBLERS were seen in Croydon on August 22nd.
COMMON NIGHTHAWK migration has already begun with over 1,000 recorded by
observers in Concord since August 17th. Volunteer-observers are welcome!
An archive of rare bird alerts is available at nhaudubon.org/rba. If you
have seen any rare birds recently you can leave a voicemail at (603)
224-9909, following the prompts on how to report a rare bird. You can also
send your sightings via email to <birdsetc...> Please put “Rare
Bird” in the subject line and include the location of the sighting and your
phone number.
*What is the Rare Bird Alert?*
The New Hampshire Rare Bird Alert is a list of birds that is posted,
usually on a weekly basis on NH Audubon’s website, and several public
websites. The primary goal of the list is to help bird watchers find
uncommon or rare birds that occur within the geographical boundaries of NH.
*What makes a bird rare?*
A bird may be considered rare if it’s outside its usual range, present at
an unusual time of year, or found in an unexpected part of the state. For
example, a Red-bellied Woodpecker in southern NH is expected, but one in
Coos County would be unusual. A Black-throated Blue Warbler in summer is
normal but in winter it would be rare. While a Roseate Spoonbill would be
rare in any season. To learn more, read “So You Think You Found a Rare
Bird? A Quick Guide to What Counts and How to Report It”
<https://joyofbirding.nhaudubon.org/what-is-a-rare-bird-and-how-to-report-it/> on
the *Joy of Birding.*
Thanks very much and good birding!
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