Date: 9/28/25 9:36 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: September 28, 2025
* California
* Orange County
* September 28, 2025
* CAOC25.09.28
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
Pectoral Sandpiper
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Western Cattle-Egret
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Cassin’s Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Bank Swallow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Virginia’s Warbler
American Redstart
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Painted Bunting
As many as six PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were reported to be at the San Joaquin
Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine through September 25.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS were reported from Huntington Central Park East in
Huntington Beach on September 21 and Centennial Regional Park in Santa Ana
on September 26.
An adult LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through September 27.
A TRICOLORED HERON was on Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Seal Beach on
September 22.
A WESTERN CATTLE-EGRET continued at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine on September 24.
A HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER was in Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach
in the tipuana trees of the Urban Forest on September 27.
A DUSKY FLYCATCHER continued at Veeh Ranch Park in Laguna Hills through
September 27, where it is generally found on the eastern side of the creek
closer to the Athletes First building.
A CASSIN’S VIREO was at Huntington Central Park West in Huntington Beach on
September 27. Another was at Gibbs Park in Huntington Beach on September 26.
A PLUMBEOUS VIREO continued at Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach
on September 21.
A YELLOW-GREEN VIREO at Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach
continued through September 24 around the southeast side of Talbert Lake. A
second bird was at Veeh Ranch Park in Laguna Hills, generally in the trees
around the Athletes First building, from September 21 through September 25.
Two BANK SWALLOWS were at Arbor Park in Seal Beach on September 22.
CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were at Russell Cook Park in San Juan Capistrano on
September 24 and at Veeh Ranch Park in Laguna Hills along the creek from
September 23 through September 26.
A BREWER’S SPARROW presumably continued at Huntington Central Park West in
Huntington Beach on September 27. Another was at Irby Park in Huntington
Beach on September 22.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was at Huntington Central Park East in Huntington
Beach on September 27.
A TENNESSEE WARBLER continued in residential Laguna Niguel through
September 24. This is apparently the most reliable place in the county for
this species. Another was reported to be continuing near the Gothard Lot at
Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach through September 24.
A VIRGINIA’S WARBLER was at Huntington Central Park West in Huntington
Beach on September 21.
A female-type AMERICAN REDSTART continued at Huntington Central Park East
in Huntington Beach through September 22, while another was at Huntington
Central Park West from September 25 through September 27.
A CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER was at Centennial Regional Park in Santa Ana from
September 21 through September 27.
A BLACKPOLL WARBLER continued near the Gothard Lot at Huntington Central
Park in Huntington Beach through September 22.
A PALM WARBLER was in the lawn at Laguna Niguel Regional Park in Laguna
Niguel on September 27.
A ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was reported to have been at the east end of the
island at Huntington Central Park East in Huntington Beach on presumably
September 27.
A female PAINTED BUNTING was at Veeh Ranch Park in Laguna Hills on
September 23.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Ryan Winkleman separately for consideration to be mentioned in
the current quarterly report for North American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
Information regarding upcoming local events should be considered accurate
at the time of this posting. However, for the most current information
please refer to the field trip list on the Sea and Sage Audubon website at
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/. It is also recommended that you
refer to that website immediately prior to engaging in any field trip to
confirm that trips are still occurring. If you know of additional upcoming
events that are not sponsored directly by Sea and Sage Audubon, please
email Ryan Winkleman for inclusion. #RBA
