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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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California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 11:17 by Holly Middlekauff
- 10612–11502 Santa Rosa Creek Rd, Templeton US-CA 35.54601, -120.86987, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.86987&<ll...>,-120.86987 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277300378 - Comments: "Soaring over Santa Rosa Creek road, heading north or north east. I had an excellent look - I could not see tags. Looked like a mature adult. Terrible pics from iPhone as it left the scene."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 11:32 by Barbara Webster
- 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/S277304592 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Large flycatcher with yellow belly up to white throat, greenish back and gray head, with dark mask and noticeably heavy, large bill. Plain brown wings and long, brown notched tail. Bill distinctly heavier than nearby Cassin’s Kingbird for good contrast."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 11:32 by Pam Cahn
- 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/S277304591 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Large flycatcher with yellow belly up to white throat, greenish back and gray head, with dark mask and noticeably heavy, large bill. Plain brown wings and long, brown notched tail. Bill distinctly heavier than nearby Cassin’s Kingbird for good contrast."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 08:10 by Billy Fletcher
- 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/S277292625 - Comments: "Kingbird with proportional large bill and yellow covering belly to collarbone area. Non vocal. Fly catching off cypress on south end of peninsula over lake. Bad photos available."
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 11:04 by Scott Inman
- 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/S277268246 - Comments: "Originally picked up by Merlin ID. Short, stocky sparrow with nice white eye ring. Large grey bill. Flat top head with light central stripe. Short tail. In coyote brush along HH trail."
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 14:30 by Kaaren Perry
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277237186 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Appeared to be about the size of a Red-winged Blackbird it walked the grassy area at the east end of the park near the picnic area, sometimes poking in the grass and other times stopping and standing erect. Female type plumage. The crown was marked with a dark stripe , buffy face and post ocular stripe, bill conical shape and pinkish coloration. The upper parts were brown with strong streaking. Primaries were dark with pale tips, pointed tail feathers. Underparts were a buffy yellow with some subtle streaking on the sides of breast and belly. Some grayish blush on upper breast was observed but could be attributed to distance of observation and poor lighting. Legs appeared pale. Only highly Zoomed photos possible."
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (1)
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 09:48 by Herb Elliott
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277075970 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "… sparrow-like bird, yellowish-buff overall, pinkish conical like bill, brown stripes on the crown and streaked dark brown on the back and flanks. Found yesterday, 02 Oct 25 by found by Jackie Knowlton."
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 09:38 by Doug Drynan
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277173720 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "continuing bird first observed by Jackie Knowleton. when I arrived at the park, there were already several birders observing it at the edge of the western willow strip and the mowed grass near the dog park. The bird was not shy and was actively forging in the grass. fairly large with a distinctive yellowish buff tone that was pretty striking when the sun hit it. buffy median stripe on the top of the head with dark borders each side. distinctive dark post ocular line. Black streaking on sides and along the flanks. back buffy olive streaked with black. Pale bill. photos."
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 08:50 by Petra Clayton
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277052544 - Media: 18 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing female/immature since 10/2/2025 ( Jackie Knowlton)
Sparrow-like, but a bit lager; yellow-buff face, chin, breast and belly; dark brown crown with broad yellow-buff median stripe; pale lores; dark brown line, starting thin behind the eye and getting wider towards the back of the head; faint dark streaks on the lower flanks and rump; back and wings mottled brown; two broad yellow-buff stripes on the back ("braces"); two pale wingbars; rose-colored bill; mauve-colored legs.
Actively foraging along the entire length of the lawn area between the dog park and the riparian area along Alva Paul Creek, occasionally disappearing into the tall grassy border.
Click on the image below for a Flickr video, showing the Bobolink catching and eating a worm and insects:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/54831978852/in/dateposted-public/" title="Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Morro Bay, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/54831978852_16b7ed9609_z.jpg" alt="Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Morro Bay, CA" /></a>
For a longer version of the foraging behavior click on the image below for a YouTube video:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T7qPFgNo1o0?si=kD_4unMr1iA3VHML" frameborder="0"></iframe>"
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 08:34 by Kevin Zimmer
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277277584 - Media: 19 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing individual first reported yesterday afternoon by Jaqueline Knowlton, but then missed by multiple searchers later yesterday. Details and photos to follow. Very fresh, ochre-buff plumage, boldly streaked blackish-brown on back (with conspicuous black-outlined, buff 'braces' on either side of the mantle); boldly striped crown, with buff coronal stripe framed by broad, blackish lateral crown stripes; golden-tawny nape; fine dark streaking the length of the sides; buffy lores, whitish eyering and thin blackish-brown postocular streak; thick, rather conical, dark pinkish bill; large feet; and characteristic pointed rectrices. Walked on lawn, feeding on grass seeds. Quite confiding, and seemingly not bothered by the presence of multiple gawking birders. This was SLO County bird #415 for me!"
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 09:21 by Barbara Webster
- Garden St, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8502207&<ll...>,-120.8502207 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277299327 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "Sharp pointed oriole bill. Yellow underside. Distinct white wing bars. A bit larger than House Finches it was perched next to. Feeding on the Bottlebrush. Unable to get photo of wings."
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 09:21 by Pam Cahn
- Garden St, Los Osos, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8502207&<ll...>,-120.8502207 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277299328 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "Sharp pointed oriole bill. Yellow underside. Distinct white wing bars. A bit larger than House Finches it was perched next to. Feeding on the Bottlebrush. Unable to get photo of wings."
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 08:34 by Kevin Zimmer
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277277584 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "Not previously reported from this spot this fall. Details and very poor photos to follow. This warbler remained high in the interior of the willows and other tall trees along the riparian corridor, making it extremely difficult to photograph and to point out to other observers present. Dark-backed, with conspicuous whitish 'braces' on either side of the mantle; orange on median forecrown, supercilium, throat & upper breast (brightest) and neck sides (latter wrapping around a triangular blackish auricular patch that was pointed at the bottom and rear), fading to orange-yellow at the sides of the chest and on the lower breast, which blended to white on the belly, flanks and crissum; fairly bold black streaking on the sides of the chest, becoming fainter and dusky gray lower down the sides; broad white wingbars on folded wings; outer rectrices (as viewed from below on the folded tail) mostly white, tipped black. I initially thought this bird to be either a bright adult female or bright HY male, but in looking at my poor photos, the bird looks brighter than I perceived it in the field, and could be an adult male. Age & sex uncertain."
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 07:42 by Carol Comeau
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277240280 - Comments: "Pointed out by other birders. Thank you! Greenish head and back. White eyeing. Two white wing bars. Whitish underbody. A tiny amount of chestnut color on flanks."
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) (1)
- Reported Oct 04, 2025 07:38 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277319538 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Likely a continuing bird based on comparative photos - very active warbler observed opposite dog park quickly foraging from willows to sycamores to the ground and back was lime green on crown and back in low light (but appeared burnt yellow in bright sun) with faint black rump streaking, two cream yellow/green wing-bars, gray face and auriculars, complete eye-ring and nearly all white below except for chestnut smudge on sides/flanks and black tail edges and tips."
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 03, 2025 08:50 by Petra Clayton
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S277052544 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing presumably hatch-year male since 9/23/2025 (Reef Comer).
Lime-green crown and back; gray face; white eye ring; pale underparts; chestnut color on the flanks."
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