Date: 4/16/24 8:00 am From: 'Iain MacLeod' via NHBirds <nhbirds...> Subject: [NHBirds] Loggerhead Shrike sightings in NH
I'm glad lots of people got to see the shrike in Laconia yesterday. And, hopefully more will see it today. I did a little digging in ebird on previous sightings in the state, and in the breeding bird atlas for some additional records that haven't made it to ebird. Most of the modern-day records have been one-day (or actually one-minute) wonders and single observer records. Apparently only one has been photographed in the state prior to yesterday. Thousands of photographs were taken of the bird yesterday.
Loggerheads used to breed in the state until about 1910. After that it became a rare vagrant.
The following records are in ebird:
One is East Conway in 1951
Two records from Dublin – in 1957, 1970.
Monroe ("nesting pair"!) in 1961
Strafford County (seen by George Robbins only) in 1974
Newington (seen by Steve Mirick only) in 1997
Hillsborough (photographed by Robin Feustel only) 2020
The Atlas of Breeding Birds in NH lists the following records that are not in ebird:
Lancaster 1963
Shelbourne 1971
Canterbury 1974
Hebron 1980
Sunapee 1982
Bridgewater 1983
Carroll 1986
So, enjoy this very cooperative bird now. It may be a while before we see one again in NH.
Iain MacLeod
Executive Director
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
PO Box 173, 23 Science Center Road,
Holderness, NH 03245
603-968-7194 x123
www.nhnature.org<http://www.nhnature.org>
