The Birds of New Hampshire (Memoirs of the Nuttall Ornithological Club)

The purpose of this book is to describe the status and distribution of the species of birds known from New Hampshire. It is strictly intended to be an annotated checklist, so such matters as the ecology and life history of the species, while otherwise of great interest and importance, have no place here. Where there is sufficient data available for a species over a period of time, an attempt is made to trace population changes, but this is possible for fewer than half of the species included. The species accounts rely primarily on published data, especially in the period from 1950 to the present, as more fully described below. The cutoff date for records is generally the end of 2009, but we have unashamedly included records of rarities, new species, and other exceptional records through 2010 and even into 2011 that came to our attention while the text was being reviewed and finalized. In general, the reader can assum4 that the data for each species ends at the end of 2009 with the exception of any subsequent records that may be included.

Both Allan and Bob developed a strong interest in birds as young men. They became close friends with Bob Smart, and each birded with him frequently in New Hampshire. By the early 1960's, all three of them had become members of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. It is through Bob Smart that Bob Fox, back in the 1960's and Allan in the 1970's, became interested in writing a book documenting the birds of New Hampshire. Allan took the sighting records from 1950 - 1970 that Bob Smart had collected, and wrote 192 species accounts by 1975. This book has had a long germination period.

Time languished as they both focused on their careers-Allan in investment management and Bob in school superintendence, though their interest in birds never waned. Bob joined Allan's rekindled interest in this book over a decade ago, and wrote nearly half of the species accounts. Both have continued to bird in New Hampshire, and Bob has summered there for over 40 years.

Allan has contributed to ornithology as author and co-author of four books, three of which concern the West Indies, and was twice President of the American Birding Association. Bob has written articles in the Auk and for the Massachusetts Audubon Society's first Breeding Bird Atlas, and has led many birding trips in New England for various state Audubon Societies. At last, a dream they had over a half-century ago, has finally come true.