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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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White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 09:00 by James Bland
- 424 LOVR, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8472972&<ll...>,-120.8472972 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269935946 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Feeding at a backyard platform feeder in the company of mourning doves and band-tailed pigeons. Large black and white wing patches apparent with wings open or closed. Raised tail abruptly when startled."
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 07:28 by Herb Elliott
- 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/S269906106 - Media: 7 Photos, 2 Audio
- Comments: "... found on 26 Aug 2025 by Kevin Zimmer and Gary Rosenberg - dark brownish upperparts, white underparts and white eye-ring; the bird vocalized several times."
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 13:00 by Jeanette Stone
- 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/S269850286 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Previously reported. Medium-sized Sandpiper with dark brown upperside and white spotting. White eyering, straight bill, white underside, and greenish-yellow legs. Photos."
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 10:43 by Gary Rosenberg
- 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/S269824237 - Media: 10 Photos
- Comments: "Juvenile, first found when it flew past us at ca. 1015h as we stood opposite the sycamore tree where the Neotropic Cormorant always perched. Dark, grayish-brown above (finely speckled with buff on the wing coverts, scapulars and tertials) and mostly white below, with grayish-brown, streaky smudging on the sides of the chest. Prominent white eye ring connected to the short, white, supraloral bar (the overall effect lending a white spectacled look. Innermost rectrices dark brown; outer rectrices mostly white, barred black. Underwing dark gray, barred with white on the coverts; rump dark. Legs olive-yellow; overall size larger than nearby Spotted Sandpiper, and with longer bill. Photos to follow shortly."
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 10:43 by Kevin Zimmer
- 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/S269772421 - Media: 10 Photos
- Comments: "Juvenile, first found when it flew past us at ca. 1015h as we stood opposite the sycamore tree where the Neotropic Cormorant always perched. Dark, grayish-brown above (finely speckled with buff on the wing coverts, scapulars and tertials) and mostly white below, with grayish-brown, streaky smudging on the sides of the chest. Prominent white eye ring connected to the short, white, supraloral bar (the overall effect lending a white spectacled look. Innermost rectrices dark brown; outer rectrices mostly white, barred black. Underwing dark gray, barred with white on the coverts; rump dark. Legs olive-yellow; overall size larger than nearby Spotted Sandpiper, and with longer bill. Photos to follow shortly."
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 00:05 by marlin harms
- 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/S269920247 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Juvenile foraging in the shallow water. Briefly stood quietly with bill over back surrounded by one of the creek plants. But then went back to foraging in the water."
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 11:00 by Wanda Lo
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269907757 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "two birds seen at the large tidal pond farther from the South Bay Bridge. Accompanied by Yellow Legs. Pointed out by several birders and seen with scope. They were smaller than the Yellow Legs. At the distance from the road, they were darker grey than the Yellow Legs. The beaks of the Yellow Legs are two toned, whereas the Stilt Sandpiper had a solid black beak, slight decurved. Sub-par photo."
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (2)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 10:47 by Tom Edell
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269936237 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "continuing juveniles first reported here yesterday. Today on the eastern most tidal pond. Scaly appearance on back and wings, somewhat long dark bill with a slight droop at the tip, and longish yellow-green legs. (poor Photo)"
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (2)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 07:05 by Andrew Fleming
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269837812 - Comments: "Continuing pair of juveniles in the large far east pond. Bigger than the nearby red-necked phalaropes, but smaller than the killdeer. Long yellowish-green legs. Long bill with a slight droop. White undersides with scaly back."
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 09:30 by Jeanette Stone
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269852453 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Reported earlier in the morning by Tom Edell. Seen foraging on the edge of the most eastern pond. Long yellow-green legs, long, slightly curved bill. Photo"
Foraging by itself in the third (eastern-most) tidal pond. Recognized by its posture and feeding behavior: The slightly decurved bill is held pointing downward at a right angle to the line of the neck and back. Wading belly-deep in the water it was bending forward when probing, submerging head and neck in the water, causing the rump and tail to stick up.
Appearance includes a prominent white supercilium; slightly decurved black bill; wingtips extending beyond tail; scaly-patterned wings; spindly yellow-green legs.
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 25, 2025 19:31 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269824271 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Based on comparative photos these juvenile birds are likely the same duo reported hours earlier at Villa Creek -- Estero Bluffs. The two were found at this location minutes earlier by Reef Comer who's alert made it possible for us to see these birds as darkness fell. Both mid-sized shorebirds were larger than nearby Red-necked Phalarope and showed scaly back, large head with heavy, mid-length bill about 1.25 x head length (front to back of head), brown crown cap with white supercilium, brown streaking on neck and upper breast, spotting on sides and flanks and long greenish legs. Observed feeding in west pond nearest South Bay Blvd."
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (2)
- Reported Aug 25, 2025 19:19 by Reef Comer
- Turri Road Tidal Ponds, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8218378&<ll...>,-120.8218378 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269864559 - Comments: "Almost certainly same pair of juveniles seen just hours earlier at Villa! Looked like they were settling in to roost for the night. Dark checkered pattern to upperside, pale eyebrow, long slightly downcurved bill, long, yellowish-green legs, and bright white rump in flight. Longer legs caused them to lean much farther forward when feeding, with face in water."
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 12:03 by Jay Carroll
- San Simeon Point, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1946398&<ll...>,-121.1946398 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269924483 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Scope views of a distant small alcid showing mostly dark upperparts with white throat, breast and sides; not enough detail to confirm if it had whitish scapulars; it had a hunched, short-necked appearance in profile with dark bill and short upturned tail that was white below; it remained in the same area for over an hour, diving occasionally in foraging bouts; poor photos."
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 10:55 by Petra Clayton
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269923325 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile since 8/25/25 (Nick Belardes)
Nick Belardes pointed out the tern as it was sitting on vegetation in the middle of the lake, viewed from the end of the paved loop in the park. We got good, albeit distant side and back views until it flew off.
Dark wings and back; white forehead, forecrown and nape; from the dark hindcrown there was a dark extension down the middle of the white nape and down to the auricular area, giving the appearance of a black skull cap; black bill. -
In flight the upper side of the wings were dark and the underside appeared to be light with a dark border along the outer edge, a dark leading edge and a dark patch at the shoulder.
Click on the image below for a Flickr video:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/54749833255/in/dateposted-public/" title="Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), Lagunal Lake, San Luis Obispo, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/54749833255_30aa50ef7c_z.jpg" alt="Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), Lagunal Lake, San Luis Obispo, CA" /></a>"
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 07:49 by Nick & Jane
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269894701 - Media: 12 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile first spotted on Aug. 25 (https://ebird.org/checklist/S269515661). Much smaller than a common tern. Larger than a least tern. First seen today at 9-ish am from where I stood on north side of lake near boat dock as it flew mostly between reed island and slightly east of boat ramp. At times it rapidly flew, quickly banking and diving, foraging low, sometimes five or so feet from the water, sometimes lower and grabbing a bite; always distant from me.
I left the area and came back three times, each time finding the bird either flying, or perched on a stick (or reed) in the water that is located in one of many patches of watergrass. The reed/stick/perch is in the center of the lake and best viewed from the paved loop area, and if looking out at the lake, is northeast of an orange buoy. Approximately here where it perches on floating stick/reed (35.2653043, -120.6890587).
The bird had dark grey upper wings, with blackish patches on its carpals, and also a dark grey-to-black mantle/back that formed a black partial ring around the upper back and down onto the sides of its neck. It had a medium-length black bill, black gradated helmet, white nape, forehead, chin and underside, and grey rump and grey tail. Its underwings were grey (appearing whitish pic), with dark primaries.
The bird sometimes had a lope-ish sort of flight, though it could be really quick at times, banking and diving, making amazingly fast acrobatic maneuvers. Sometimes, because of its dark coloration and size, I would lose sight of it amid the dark, shadowy water and reeds, or even the sometimes bright reflections on the water. I later got J. and P. onto the bird but soon needed pizza and had to go. photos"
Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 07:49 by Nick & Jane
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269894701 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing at creek mouth, sometimes solo, sometimes hanging out with a mallard, which was an interesting similar size comparison. Small cormorant with shorter bill than a double-crested cormorant. Dark feathering in lore areas. Photos"
Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 10:43 by Kevin Zimmer
- 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/S269772421 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile, present at this site since 9 June. It was not present when we first arrived, and it did not appear until we were preparing to leave. Seen perched in its usual spot in the small sycamore."
Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 26, 2025 10:43 by Gary Rosenberg
- 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/S269824237 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile, present at this site since 9 June. It was not present when we first arrived, and it did not appear until we were preparing to leave. Seen perched in its usual spot in the small sycamore."
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 08:23 by Kevin Zimmer
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269925928 - Media: 11 Photos
- Comments: "Presumably the same adult male that was being seen here off and on throughout June and July. I believe this is the third year in a row that a male American Redstart has summered here. Both Gary and I took a lot of photos (to be uploaded soon), and Gary also recorded some whisper songs of the bird when it was singing down at eye-level."
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 08:23 by Gary Rosenberg
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269929599 - Media: 11 Photos
- Comments: "Presumably the same adult male that was being seen here off and on throughout June and July. I believe this is the third year in a row that a male American Redstart has summered here. Both Gary and I took a lot of photos (to be uploaded soon), and Gary also recorded some whisper songs of the bird when it was singing down at eye-level."
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 08:23 by Gary Rosenberg
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269929599 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing male bird (one of two seen here in the past week), and seemingly the same individual that I photographed here on August 14 (albeit in freshly molted plumage), as evidenced by the presence of 2 plumage characters that struck me as atypical: a cinnamon wash down the flanks, and, a white supraorbital stripe that is continuous with the upper eye arc. Both Gary and I took lots of photos, and Gary also recorded some of its songs."
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) (1)
- Reported Aug 27, 2025 08:23 by Kevin Zimmer
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S269925928 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing male bird (one of two seen here in the past week), and seemingly the same individual that I photographed here on August 14 (albeit in freshly molted plumage), as evidenced by the presence of 2 plumage characters that struck me as atypical: a cinnamon wash down the flanks, and, a white supraorbital stripe that is continuous with the upper eye arc. Both Gary and I took lots of photos, and Gary also recorded some of its songs."
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