This is a summary of the Hudson-Mohawk Birdline reports for the week ending 28 December 2011.

Seventy-two species were reported this week, including 57 species from the Southern Rensselaer CBC (SRCBC) on 12/26 (with one sector yet to report).

The best birds were:

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: Saratoga Lake 12/27.

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK: SRCBC.

MERLIN: SRCBC; Peebles Island 12/27; Niskayuna 12/27.

ICELAND GULL: Crescent power plant 12/27.

SNOWY OWL: Schenectady 12/27 (injured).

SHORT-EARED OWL: Fort Edward 12/22 (4), 12/27.

NORTHERN SHRIKE: Fort Edward 12/27.

*GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH*: Black Dome Mountain 12/23.

Other notable reports:

Mute Swan: SRCBC (5).

Northern Pintail: SRCBC.

Ruffed Grouse: SRCBC.

Common Loon: SRCBC (2); Saratoga Lake 12/27 (2).

Turkey Vulture: Hudson 12/28.

Bald Eagle: Papscanee 12/22 (4); SRCBC (6); Hollyhock Hollow 12/27; Cohoes Falls 12/27; South Glens Falls 12/27.

Northern Harrier: Fort Edward 12/22 (3); Coxsackie Grasslands 12/22 (3); SRCBC (3).

American Kestrel:Fort Edward 12/22; SRCBC

Peregrine Falcon: Rensselaer 12/22; Schenectady 12/22; SRCBC.

American Coot: SRCBC.

Great Horned Owl: Austerlitz 12/23.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: SRCBC.

Fish Crow: SRCBC (8).

Common Raven: Austerlitz 12/23 (2); SRCBC (5).

Horned Lark: SRCBC.

Carolina Wren: SRCBC.

Eastern Bluebird: Rensselaer 12/22; Ghent 12/23 (2); Austerlitz 12/23; Glenville 12/24 (4); SRCBC (56).

Northern Mockingbird: Papscanee 12/22; Ghent 12/23; Loudonville 12/24; SRCBC (10).

White-crowned Sparrow: Malta 12/25.

Eastern Meadowlark: Coxsackie Grasslands 12/22 (flock).

Purple Finch: Ghent 12/23 (10); East Greenbush 12/24.

Thanks to Phil Whitney (Birdline compiler), Mona Bearor (South Glens Falls), Alan French (Glenville), Rich Guthrie (Coxsackie Grasslands), David Harrison (Crescent, Cohoes Falls, Peebles Island), Ron Harrower (Saratoga Lake), Drew Hopkins (Hudson), Nancy Kern (Austerlitz, Ghent),Bill Lee (Papscanee, Rensselaer, Niskayuna, Schenectady), Jeff Nadler (Fort Edward 12/22, Burnt Hills), David Rankin (Black Dome), Gregg Recer (Fort Edward 12/27, Malta) and Scott Stoner (Loudonville).