A “Superflight” of Finches
“Winter Finches” are those that breed primarily north of New Hampshire and are usually only seen here in the winter where their numbers fluctuate widely in response to food supplies. The fall and winter of 2020-21 saw a “superflight” of finches when nearly all moved south at the same time. Their movement is in response to an abundance of natural foods in the area and, as with our local birds this fall, they were not necessarily seen at feeders, preferring to chow down on the abundant foods found in the wild. Read a summary of the finches that came flocking to NH during that pandemic winter in the Winter 2020-21 issue of New Hampshire Bird Records: https://nhbirdrecords.org/nhbr-pdfs/V39%20N4%20Winter%202020-21.pdf. (“The Winter Irruption of 2020-21” begins on page 27; with color photos of some of those superflight finches on the inside front cover). If you’re wondering what finches might show up this coming winter, you can check out the Winter Finch Forecast for 2023-24 here: https://finchnetwork.org/winter-finch-forecast-2023-2024.
Other articles in this issue include: Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey Discontinued; Finding New Hampshire’s First Ever Sage Thrasher; Birding New Castle, NH; A Canada Jay in Sandwich; and more! With field notes from the 2020-21 winter season. Enjoy them all!
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From all of us at New Hampshire Bird Records-
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