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Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Santa Barbara County Rare Bird Alert. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Santa Barbara County. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN35915 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated.
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Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:57 by Cachuma CBC
- Cachuma Lake--Storke Flat, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.92061&<ll...>,-119.92061 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291309810 - Comments: "Scaup, and not Ring-necked Duck by the partially dusky whitish back and the bicolored bill, not patterned in 3 sections like RnDu. Lacked the peaked posterior crown. Rounded head shape. Although the light was not as good today as yesterday, the dull greenish color of the head was apparent. Both were males."
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:57 by Mark Holmgren
- Cachuma Lake--Storke Flat, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.92061&<ll...>,-119.92061 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291291866 - Comments: "Scaup, and not Ring-necked Duck, by the partially dusky whitish back and the bicolored bill with a black tip, not patterned in 3 sections like RnDu. Lacked the peaked posterior crown. Rounded head shape. Although the light was not as good today as yesterday, the dull greenish color of the head was apparent. Both were males."
Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 06:15 by Cachuma CBC
- My driveway, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.05322&<ll...>,-120.05322 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291295624 - Comments: "Crouched on driveway side in flattened posture, no visible neck. Looked like a rock. Checked plumage. Flushed by car into Moth-like flight, pale underwings showing. Returning bird for many years."
Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 06:15 by Laura Baldwin
- My driveway, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.05322&<ll...>,-120.05322 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291291431 - Comments: "Crouched on driveway side in flattened posture, no visible neck. Looked like a rock. Checked plumage. Flushed by car into Moth-like flight, pale underwings showing. Returning bird for many years."
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 06:48 by Cachuma CBC
- Grimm's Bluff Vineyard (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0058611&<ll...>,-120.0058611 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291295714 - Comments: "I had multiple point blank looks as bird foraged in front of me. It took multiple views for Rough-winged to enter my ID thought process but once it did I had multiple strong views of brownish face, breast and flanks, darker brown upperparts white belly and undertail."
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) (3)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 07:30 by Ryanne Pritchard-Bee
- Sedgwick Reserve (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0405478&<ll...>,-120.0405478 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291252682 - Comments: "3 different individuals observed in different areas along hike to pistol club trail/north east corner, eye ring, large bill, more buffy face with a faint dark auricular spot"
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) (4)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 11:14 by David Compton
- Casey Avenue, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.058185&<ll...>,-120.058185 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291247215 - Comments: "Small sparrows, longish tail, clean gray below (no streaks), dark line through eye, rusty cap. Call a high pitched “seep” that was more musical, to my ear, than calls of other sparrows."
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Rebecca Coulter
- Happy Canyon & Alisos Rd, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0008297&<ll...>,-120.0008297 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291294239 - Comments: "In mixed flock of white crowned sparrows and Juncos. Three individuals, one quite rufous- capped and the other two more like non-breeding adults. Clear breast, varying rufous color in the cap, dark eye line."
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Jim Hodgson
- Happy Canyon & Alisos Rd, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0008297&<ll...>,-120.0008297 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291303438 - Comments: "In mixed flock of white crowned sparrows and Juncos. Three individuals, one quite rufous- capped and the other two more like non-breeding adults. Clear breast, varying rufous color in the cap, dark eye line."
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Cachuma CBC
- Happy Canyon & Alisos Rd, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0008297&<ll...>,-120.0008297 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291295613 - Comments: "In mixed flock of white crowned sparrows and Juncos. Three individuals, one quite rufous- capped and the other two more like non-breeding adults. Clear breast, varying rufous color in the cap, dark eye line."
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 31, 2025 11:06 by Lori Gaskin
- Santa Barbara Yard List, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7052314&<ll...>,-119.7052314 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291442208 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Male. Continuing at feeder. Black eyeline and throat stripe. Yellow-brown head and back. Prominent white wing bars. Yellow throat blending to whiteish breast. Poor iPhone photos."
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