Date: 11/9/25 1:06 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: November 9, 2025
* California
* Orange County
* November 9, 2025
* CAOC25.11.9
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
Surf Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Northern Fulmar
Manx Shearwater
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Zone-tailed Hawk
Plumbeous Vireo
Mountain Bluebird
*OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT*
Vesper Sparrow
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Not sure why this wasn’t on the listserv, but a SURF SCOTER on Pond 1 at
the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine on November 3 was a great bird
for anybody with an Irvine patch.
A COMMON GOLDENEYE was at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington
Beach from November 2 through November 8.
NORTHERN FULMARS were reported from the Newport Pier throughout the week.
A MANX SHEARWATER was visible from the Newport Pier on November 2.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS were at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton and Bolsa
Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach on November 2 and November 5,
respectively.
An adult LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through November 8. Two juvenile birds were present from
November 5 through November 8.
A TRICOLORED HERON continued at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through November 8.
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK continued around Rimgate Park in Lake Forest this week.
PLUMBEOUS VIREOS continued Gilman Park in Fullerton through at least
November 6 and from Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster through
November 5.
A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at the RC Flyers Club in Trabuco Canyon on
November 1 and 2 was one of very few records for this part of the county.
An *OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT* continued at Gilman Park in Fullerton through
November 5.
A VESPER SPARROW continued at Irvine Lake on November 2.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER continued at Huntington Central Park in
Huntington Beach through November 8.
A male AMERICAN REDSTART continued at Huntington Central Park East in
Huntington Beach through November 7.
A NORTHERN PARULA was in residential Fullerton on November 2.
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
