Date: 8/21/25 4:07 pm From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- King Eider (7 reports)
- Lucy's Warbler (2 reports)
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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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King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 21, 2025 09:24 by Barry Langdon-Lassagne
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268620562 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing pale brown-grey sea duck, long in body, face with characteristic bulge at base of bill. Seen swimming parallel to oyster bed, on the Morro Bay side. Photos"
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 21, 2025 09:24 by Virginia Langdon-Lassagne
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268620561 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing pale brown-grey sea duck, long in body, face with characteristic bulge at base of bill. Seen swimming parallel to oyster bed, on the Morro Bay side. Photos"
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 19, 2025 18:35 by Petra Clayton
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268344323 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing since 8/17/2025 (Brian O'Kelly & Alexander Yan).
Female-like plumaged. Viewed through a scope as it moved behind and around the poles of the oyster farm's back-bed. It was frequently diving while actively feeding. It was also raising up and flapping its wings when apparently bathing. It subsequently moved onto a floating dock, where it was preening for an extended length of time, eventually in the company of gulls and Brown Pelicans. When the dock finally got too crowded, it took to the water again and swam away. --- Overall brown, about the size of a Mallard. Very noticeable was a white stripe on the side and, when flapping its wings, there was a light-colored patch on the underside of the wing. When seen in profile, the bill-shape was unlike a Mallard's in that it seemed shorter and the forehead was sloping down to the bill in a more straight line.
Click on the image below for a YouTube video, showing the King Eider feeding and preening:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BzYWPfE_S-o?si=JpP0HcpEUTsPDRhs" frameborder="0"></iframe>
This is the second record for San Luis Obispo County. The first county record was accepted by the California Bird Records Committee, when a female was present from 28 October 28, 1985 to February 17, 1986."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1)
- Reported Aug 19, 2025 06:35 by Gregory Smith
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268498079 - Comments: "Continuing large sea duck with medium brown female plumage that appeared lighter on the rounded head. Sloping forehead with a small, blackish bill. Was swimming out towards the oyster farm and seen with bins and my scope. I saw the '84 bird and have seen numerous birds up around Norton Sound, AK."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1)
- Reported Aug 18, 2025 08:17 by Kevin Zimmer
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268508036 - Comments: "Continuing female, first discovered yesterday, and still present at the same locale where it was put to bed last night. Large, pallid brown female Eider with rounded profile to the head and relatively small (compared to a female Common Eider) bill, with scooped profile (not straight slope like a Common Eider). I see hundreds of female King and Common eiders every May-June in Alaska, and head/bill shape are diagnostic. This particular individual was in heavy wing molt, and is almost certainly flightless, so it will probably be hanging around this area for some time. I got some distant but identifiable photos, which I will post later."
Lucy's Warbler (Leiothlypis luciae) (1)
- Reported Aug 20, 2025 10:44 by Herb Elliott
- Arroyo Grande HS, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.575839&<ll...>,-120.575839 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268485118 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "… small, plain looking warbler with grayish upperparts, white eyerings, and whitish underparts.
Found earlier this morning by KH, who was there when I arrived and relocated the bird."
Lucy's Warbler (Leiothlypis luciae) (1)
- Reported Aug 20, 2025 16:41 by Alexander Yan
- Arroyo Grande High School, Arroyo Grande US-CA 35.11515, -120.57593, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.575926&<ll...>,-120.575926 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268499620 - Comments: "Continuing bird found this morning by Killian H. Found around 35.11422° N, 120.57552° W before it flew west towards the sports fields with another small bird. Hyperactive, pale warbler that barely vocalized maybe twice. Some sort of a white eye ring and obvious white belly. Round body with a grey bill."
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