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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.
eBird encourages our users to bird safely, responsibly, and mindfully. Please follow the recommendations of your local health authorities and respect any active travel restrictions in your area. For more information visit: https://ebird.org/news/please-bird-mindfully
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 08:04 by Tom Edell
- Santa Rosa Creek-below Windsor, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1064448&<ll...>,-121.1064448 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257614648 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "This bird flew in while I was checking the creek, landed well up creek, and swam out of view. I managed to take one poor photo in the overcast conditions and saw more in the photo than the field because of the distance to the bird. When it flew in I noted the pale speculum and though it might be a Gadwall. I took a quick photo and inspecting it noted the pale golden eye with dark around it, a dark thin merganser bill, and the dark back with pale streaks on the lower back/wings. I had a similar looking male with a female plumaged bird here on 21 Jul 2024 (https://ebird.org/checklist/S188131583)."
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 08:18 by Tom Edell
- Santa Rosa Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1102353&<ll...>,-121.1102353 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257614628 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "worn bird in female plumage. I suspect this is the same bird previously photographed here and possibly the same one most recently photographed at San Simeon Creek. This is most likely a second year bird. (Photo)"
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) (1)
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 08:41 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257698407 - Comments: "Distant solo bird loafing on mudflat 100+ yards off SW corner of boardwalk - Scope views showed much smaller size than nearby Caspian Terns, gray on back, white below with white crown, black mask and ear patch and black bill."
Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 12:30 by Kaaren Perry
- Morro Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8624411&<ll...>,-120.8624411 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257623553 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing to be seen at Morro Creek mouth. During my entire observation it roosted on the sycamore snag, occasionally preening body feathers. Tail feathers in heavy molt. Some incoming tail feathers observed."
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) (1)
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 07:02 by Kevin Zimmer
- Los Osos: corner of Pecho and Henrietta., San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.85179&<ll...>,-120.85179 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257722107 - Media: 12 Photos
- Comments: "Male bird, either worn adult or close to adult bird, with black head, saddle, wings and tail; white rump and lower back, with white upper tail coverts mottled dusky; two thick, white wing bars; mostly white underparts, with black throat and rosy pink bib (pointed at bottom) across chest; bill relatively massive and pale pink. “Squik” call note recognizable to genus, but sharper and squeakier than homologous calls of Black-headed Grosbeaks that are all over our property. Photos to follow shortly. This bird was first found yesterday by Jay Carrol, coming to his feeders, and that’s where it was when I showed up this morning. It left after offering brief back or profile views, and didn’t return for more than an hour, at which point it was only briefly visible before flying across the street, where it perched in some trees for better views."
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) (1)
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 09:07 by Bob McCay
- Morro Bay State Park, top of Ridgeway, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.836421&<ll...>,-120.836421 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257588464 - Comments: "Prominent white wingbars and stripes on head, obvious pink triangle on breast, heavy pink-pale beak. In a Chinese elm then dove down into bamboo. 35°21'35"N 120°50'11"W"
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) (1)
- Reported Jul 06, 2025 09:55 by Petra Clayton
- Harmony Headlands State Park, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.0018122&<ll...>,-121.0018122 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S257644625 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Very likely the same immature male reported from May 25(?)/26 to 29, 2025 and again on June 26 and 29, 2025.
Briefly perched for twelve seconds on a bush on the right side of the trail, about 200 yards from the parking lot, before flying left across the trail.
Blue overall, but smaller than a the nearby Lark Sparrow, with a smaller bill than a Blue Grosbeak. The brown wings were lacking the cinnamon-colored wingbars of a Blue Grosbeak. In flight it showed a turquoise-blue back and rump.
Click on the image above (under "Blue Grosbeak") for a Flickr video, showing both a Blue Grosbeak and an Indigo Bunting."
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