Globe-trotting bird ends up in Sutton, New Hampshire

Image

© Wikimedia Commons/Merops
Northern wheatear

    

A rare Arctic visitor came to Lane River Bridge in South Sutton on May 3.

A female northern wheatear was seen and photographed there and leads to Rare Bird Alert for New Hampshire for this week.

These are marathon migrators who don't usually make it into the lower 48 states.

Its conservation status is probably stable and may be increasing as a breeder in northeastern Canada, according to Audubon.

In summer, it can be found in rocky tundra, and barren slopes. It breeds on dry northern tundra with many exposed rocks and boulders, especially where these are near mats of dwarf shrubs a few inches high.

On fall weekends in the northeast, birders sometimes hope (but never expect) to find a Wheatear.

This small chat enters the North American arctic from both directions, via both Greenland and Alaska, but almost all go back to the Old World in winter; only the occasional straggler appears south of Canada.

Its harsh "chak-chak!" song is a jumble of warbling notes.

Categories: