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Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert. The report below shows observations of rare birds in San Luis Obispo County. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN36231 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated.
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Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (1)
- Reported Jan 08, 2025 16:29 by Van Pierszalowski
- Arroyo Laguna, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.2196684&<ll...>,-121.2196684 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208575083 - Comments: "Adult, well along in molt to alternate plumage: dark flanks, chestnut-red neck, sharply defined white facial border. Bill yellowish with black flecking, slightly angled downward. Compact, short-necked profile. Observed through scope from parking lot with a large group of Aechmophorus grebes beyond the surf."
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (3)
- Reported Jan 06, 2025 12:00 by Russ Namitz
- 2025 stakeout SAGEBRUSH SPARROW, Simmler Rd, Santa Margarita US-CA (35.2834,-119.8400), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.839976&<ll...>,-119.839976 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208645080 - Comments: "Continuing birds found by Tom Edell and Roger Zachary at jct of Simmler Rd & Elkhorn Rd. Birds were foraging on west side of Simmler about here. (35.2834515, -119.8402462). Pale sparrows with entirely streaked back all the way up to the nap, brownish back contrasting with a light gray head and weak malar stripe that did not reach the bill."
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 07, 2025 10:09 by Jay Carroll
- Carrizo Plain NM, Elkhorn and Simmler junction, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.840072&<ll...>,-119.840072 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208536242 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "Previously reported at this location, three “Sage” Sparrows foraging together on the ground in sparse low-growing scrub vegetation; all showed some degree of characters that suggested identification as Sagebrush Sparrow (A. nevadensis) rather than Bell’s Sparrow (A. b. canescens) including: pale gray heads contrasting with light brownish backs, well-defined dark streaks equally spaced across the back including the upper portion, thin and relatively diffuse malar streaking in comparison to typical canescens Bell’s, although none was present to directly compare these characters; photos are included of two of the three individuals observed."
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (1)
- Reported Jan 06, 2025 12:40 by Reef Comer
- Carrizo Plain NM--Panorama Rd., San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7734642&<ll...>,-119.7734642 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208466291 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Not the best photos, but I believe they are sufficient for identification purposes and show all the defining characteristics for sagebrush. Seen up close and in direct comparison with bell’s. Noticeably streaky pale brown back, especially in center, very pale frosty gray head, weak undefined malar, and indistinct breast spot. Bill also appeared stubbier. Seen at these coords: (35.1833333, -119.7725000). Either this is a fluke winter for them on the plain, or they are regular here each winter, and just go unnoticed amongst all the bell’s (until now it seems)."
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 05, 2025 09:00 by Gregory Smith
- Elkhorn Road & Simmler Eastwards Santa Margarita, California, US (35.279, -119.836), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8359778&<ll...>,-119.8359778 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208562122 - Comments: "I was on the wrong side of the vehicle to get photos, but I did get brief, but clear views of all three birds. What I was keying in on for each bird was the malar stripe (pale on all three, not like the black malar on a Bell's), and the dark streaks on the back of the birds (definitely not black black streaks, but more of a subtle set of black streaks on all three). So those two marks on all three birds were what I got to see on each of the individuals.
One bird seemed slightly paler than the other two, but I thought that had more to do with the lighting. The front of the truck was facing the sun and while the birds were at a 2 o'clock position (along with a Nelson's ground squirrel sitting passively about ten" away from the birds...). The two slightly darker birds were side-by-side but the "paler one was at more of 2:30 position. Not the best lighting, but it could've been worse.
As for other's sightings of the birds, both Mike and I received an email prior to the count alerting us to the three individuals. Earlier this morning, we had two SaTh on Seven Mile road on our drive to our Sector. I don't know if the count coordinator texted Mike as a reply to Mike's text about us having the two SaTh or if Coordinator just sent us an alert that said the SaSp's had already been seen by someone that morning.
We did drive back north on Elkhorn after completing our first count of the sector hoping to re-find the the SaSp's, but when we got to the intersection there were at least six people walking around the area (which effectively moved the birds to who knows where). And that was too bad as the sun was now at our back..."
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