May Migration Challenge - Day 3
May 3, 2025 | 5:40am
Date: May 3, 2025
Location: Seabrook Town Forest
Start Time: 5:40am
Duration: 2 hr, 48 min
Daily Highlights:
Total species observed: 63
Warbler species observed: 17
Notable species: Northern Waterthrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager
Merlin’s Bird of the Day: Field Sparrow
Goal Progress:
Seabrook Town Forest Life List: 138 / 140
Seabrook Town Forest Species Month Total: 79/80+
Warbler Species Total: 17/20
Single Checklist Record: 63/60+ (May 3rd) COMPLETE
Vagrant Species Found?: No
Merlin Bird of the Day Streak: 3
Photo of the Day:
Daily Recap:
What. A. Day.
I was not expecting the Town Forest to be this active so early in May—63 species in total, already completing my challenge of reaching 60+ in a day! The warblers were everywhere: so many species, so many individuals, all singing nonstop throughout the trail. I ended up spending nearly three hours, moving slowly to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.
Newly arriving warblers included Magnolia Warbler, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, and a new species for the Town Forest—Northern Waterthrush. Hearing its bold, bubbling song echo across the pond was easily a highlight of the morning.
While scanning the pond, I spotted two more new additions to the Town Forest life list: Least Sandpiper and Solitary Sandpiper.
Also among today’s arrivals were a Scarlet Tanager and two Red-eyed Vireos. It’s still a bit early for Red-eyed Vireos, so seeing two of them was a nice surprise.
With the Single Checklist Record already completed, I will now make it my goal to top 63 species as the month goes on.
After such a fantastic day of birding, the excitement only grows as we move closer to the peak of migration here in New Hampshire.