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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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Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 12:30 by Tim Miller
- Rancho Marino Reserve (restricted access), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.0897564&<ll...>,-121.0897564 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279612079 - Comments: "Non-breeding adult that briefly flew in to the gull roost, but seen well in good light. Small gull with yellow legs and a light gray mantle. Warm brown smudging on head (not streaky at all). Tiny bill that was a bit darker towards tip, but definitely not “ringed”. White “pearls” above black on primaries. Fairly for the area, but not but not unheard of."
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2025 10:28 by Herb Elliott
- 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/S279423454 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "… very likely the same Yellow-crowned Night Heron found 12 Oct 2025 by Will Knowlton and Morgan Bing.
… large and mostly black bill, and darker in overall coloration than other Yellow-crowned Night Herons I have seen in SLO County."
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (2)
- Reported Oct 14, 2025 11:50 by Petra Clayton
- Tidelands Park, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8514118&<ll...>,-120.8514118 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279424403 - Media: 19 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juveniles. One individual was very active: Hunting and catching a crab on the rocks opposite the boat ramp and later moving around to the boat dock. - The second juvenile was perched on the smaller of the Monterey Cypress trees past the last boat ramp, where it stayed during our time there.
In the past month we have observed one juvenile at this location in the morning of 9/6/25 and again on 9/7/25, 9/8/25, 9/12/25 and 9/18/25. We observed three juveniles on 9/25/25 and 9/26/25. on 10/2/25 we observed two juveniles. On 10/7/25 and 10/8/25 we observed a single juvenile here. Yesterday (10/13/25) we again observed two individuals
One juvenile was first present here on 9/4/25 and could have been the same individual reported on 9/3/25 at the Morro Bay SP Marina.
Today's juveniles had a dark, stout bill with yellow feathers at the base of the lower mandible; small white triangular spots on the covert feathers; long legs,
Click on the image below for a Flickr video:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/54856071811/in/dateposted-public/" title="Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) juvenile, Morro Bay, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/54856071811_e917ca5379_z.jpg" alt="Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) juvenile, Morro Bay, CA" /></a>"
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 13, 2025 13:25 by Petra Clayton
- Tidelands Park, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8514118&<ll...>,-120.8514118 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279252193 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juveniles. Two individual initially perched on two separate Monterey Cypress trees past the last boat ramp until one flew out and onto the boat ramp, where it stayed during the time we were there. The second juvenile stayed in the tree and preened.
In the past month we have observed one juvenile at this location in the morning of 9/6/25 and again on 9/7/25, 9/8/25, 9/12/25 and 9/18/25. We observed three juveniles on 9/25/25 and 9/26/25 and we observed two juveniles on 10/2/25. We also observed a single juvenile here on 10/7/25 and 10/8/25.
One juvenile was first present here on 9/4/25 and could have been the same individual reported on 9/3/25 at the Morro Bay SP Marina.
Today's juveniles had a dark, stout bill with yellow feathers at the base of the lower mandible; small white triangular spots on the covert feathers; long legs.
Click on the image below for a Flickr video, which includes a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron for comparison:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/54856209949/in/dateposted-public/" title="Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) juvenile, Morro Bay, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/54856209949_3588c7ce78_z.jpg" alt="Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) juvenile, Morro Bay, CA" /></a>"
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 09:30 by Roger Hammer
- Atascadero Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6667256&<ll...>,-120.6667256 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279607345 - Comments: "cont. bird found by Kevin yesterday. bird located by me, then Ben, in the same rush patch as Kevin reported. was relatively uncooperative. Ben has a great pish and stirred up some sparrow etc. activity among the reeds. Swamp was slightly smaller than the nearby Songs and similar to the nearby Lincoln's. Swamp had a lot of gray on face, sides of neck and nape; no distinctive or bold dark striping on breast or flanks, but buffy instead; head was rufous striped with gray stripe in the gap between; w/ white throat. rust on wings; tail was obscured by grass. I got wide open views of body and head for a few seconds before the bird dropped back down. White-crowned and Munia were also in the patch."
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 07:58 by Ben Kolstad
- Atascadero Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6667256&<ll...>,-120.6667256 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279559585 - Comments: "Roger Hammer and I separately but at the same time saw a very good candidate for adult Swamp Sparrow in the rushes lining the little "bay" east of the dirt parking area on the east side of the lake.
The bird had a streaked back, gray "face," rufous cap with no prominent median stripe (ruling out juvenile WCSP, adult Song, and adult Lincoln's). No cream-colored submoustachial stripe (ruling out Lincoln's).
The bird was warier than the LISP and SOSP but did respond to pishing, just never in plain sight. (By contrast, I saw many Lincoln's and Song sparrows giving me very long looks after pishing.)
It might have just been wishful birding, but I'm convinced the bird is still present, even if I couldn't get a photo at all."
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 08:33 by Tom Edell
- 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/S279583015 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "This bird was first seen in a patch of cattails just up creek of the pedestrian bridge and then move a little up creek to a smaller patch by the rectangular concrete pad. Having already seen a couple of Song Sparrows, this bird stood out because of is lightly streaked breast with a buffy wash. It had a reddish crown with a buffy central crown stripe and reddish wings. The auriculars were a warm buffy color and the dark line behind the eye flared posteriorly. The throat was pale as was the mustache and the flanks were buffy. The photos show yellow in the gape. It appeared to be a hatch year bird. Photos"
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 17:14 by Alexander Yan
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279611873 - Comments: "Continuing celebrity seen with many at the cherry trees around 35.267457,-120.661738. Bright yellow, green wings, and white underneath the tail. It’s ROTUND from all the amazing fruits the park provides!"
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 16:45 by Reef Comer
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279624176 - Comments: "Third times the charm (again)! Continuing HY in cherry hedge. Ridiculously shy at times, but eventually managed decent looks. Large, chunky, mostly golden-yellow warbler with pale gray bill, large black eye, greenish back, bluish-gray wings, and white undertail coverts. Occasionally giving somewhat squeaky sounding metallic call. Very unusual habitat for this species, even for a vagrant, but does have an abundant food source!"
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 16:20 by Richard Norton
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279614141 - Comments: "Larger warbler with bright yellow breast. White undertail coverts.
Seen, along with three other birders, in cherry trees near the park pedestrian entrance at Corrida and Sendero."
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 13:06 by Norman Pillsbury
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279621683 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird (Nick Belardes 10/08/25) observed feeding in cherry tree grove here: (35°16'02.5"N 120°39'42.4"W). This robust warbler was noticeably larger than the Orange-crowned Warbler and Tennessee Warbler it was associating with almost non-stop and was bright yellow from head to nape and neck on top and from throat to breast and belly fading fading from yellow to the white vent and undertail. The bill was large and pale below, the eyes were jet black and contrasted sharply with its yellow face, the back was olive, the wings were dark gray, and the tail short and dark-tipped. The bird would disappear often for stretches lasting up to 20 minutes or more and was observed foraging in several cherry trees up to 75 feet apart."
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 13:06 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279613063 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird (Nick Belardes 10/08/25) observed feeding in cherry tree grove here: (35°16'02.5"N 120°39'42.4"W). This robust warbler was noticeably larger than the Orange-crowned Warbler and Tennessee Warbler it was associating with almost non-stop and was bright yellow from head to nape and neck on top and from throat to breast and belly below fading to white on the vent and undertail. The bill was large and pale below, the eyes were jet black and contrasted sharply with its yellow face, the back was olive, the wings were dark gray, and the tail short and dark-tipped. The bird would disappear often for stretches lasting up to 20 minutes or more and was observed foraging in several cherry trees up to 75 feet apart."
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 12:04 by The Spotting Twohees
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279580794 - Comments: "Warbler with all yellow head and breast. Dark eye. White undertail. Blue gray wings. No wing bars. Seen with Norm P. (Who got some photos) and Pair of Wingnuts (both :-) )"
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 08:09 by Nick & Jane
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279564348 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "In the same cherry tree area just southeast of mid-park bridge. See older posts for coordinates. White undertail coverts, smokey grey wings, luminous golden plumage, more dark olive-yellow on head. Heard chipping and seen. Also, a new clue as to the bird's powers of teleportation and time travel. This bird flew south over a house into a neighborhood. I almost followed it but was immediately too lazy for that. Photos--yay!"
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 13:06 by Norman Pillsbury
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279621683 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Based on comparative photos, this is likely a continuing bird (Nick Belardes 10/07/25). This short-tailed warbler was green above with dark lores and eye-line, yellowish supercilium, yellow throat, yellow/greenish breast with faint gray streaking, faint green belly and flanks, and whitish vent and undertail."
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 13:06 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279613063 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Based on comparative photos, this is likely a continuing bird (Nick Belardes 10/07/25). This short-tailed warbler was green above with dark lores and eye-line, yellowish supercilium, yellow throat, yellow/greenish breast with faint gray streaking, faint green belly and flanks, and whitish vent and undertail."
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2025 08:09 by Nick & Jane
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279564348 - Media: 13 Photos
- Comments: "Very tiny. Smol. Sleek. Slow. This appears to be the third different Tennessee at Meadow this fall. This one had me thinking hatch-year blue-winged because of its overall yellowy color, green back, very thick dark eyeline, and bright white undertail coverts. While the wing primaries were grey, the secondaries weren't. And the tail, though short, protruded grey (too much for a blue-winged) and didn't seem to have white edges to the retrices that a blue-winged would have. And there was no tail flicking and tail opening that I saw. Very slow foraging for a Tennessee though. Just hanging out and having a good time chowing down. Photos"
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