Date: 12/27/25 7:12 am From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- Long-tailed Duck (3 reports)
- Least Bittern (1 report)
- Yellow-crowned Night Heron (1 report)
- Chipping Sparrow (1 report)
- Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed) (1 report)
- Fox Sparrow (Slate-colored) (1 report)
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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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Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1)
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 11:15 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290432708 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing male (Marlin Harms 12.10.25) observed diving/feeding behind moored boats adjacent to kayak rental pier - pink on bill and long, white scapular feathers on back ID bird as male."
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 13:20 by Petra Clayton
- San Simeon Creek Mouth/Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1267052&<ll...>,-121.1267052 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290455095 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Female continuing since 12/1/2025 (Reef Comer).
Round head; white face and neck; dark crown stripe continuing to nape; dark cheek patch that extended to the chin; bluish bill with dark nail. --- Diving as it was foraging around two large brush piles under the Highway One bridge."
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 14:50 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/S290455642 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile. Today a single one was resting on a small Monterey Cypress by the last boat ramp.
We have been observing this species since early September. We 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. On 10/13/25 and 10/14/25 we again observed two individuals. On 10/23/25 we saw just a single one. On 10/24/25 and 10/29/25 we saw two. On 11/8/25, 11/12/25, 11/14/25, 11/16/25, 11/26/25, 12/11/25, 12/16/25 and 12/21/25 again only a single one.
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 juvenile had a dark, stout bill with yellow feathers at the base of the lower mandible; small white triangular spots on the covert feathers."
Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed) (Passerella iliaca [megarhyncha Group]) (4)
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 09:45 by Reef Comer
- Boy Scout Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7567058&<ll...>,-120.7567058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290446547 - Comments: "Gray head and back, reddish-brown wings and tail, enormous bill with yellowish base and lower mandible, and densely black spotted underside. Many giving cal towhee-like calls. Carefully counted and expected up here in hard chaparral in small numbers."
Fox Sparrow (Slate-colored) (Passerella iliaca [schistacea Group]) (1)
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 09:45 by Reef Comer
- Boy Scout Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7567058&<ll...>,-120.7567058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290446547 - Comments: "Fantastic, prolonged looks at this calling individual! Plumage very similar to thick-billed, but with smaller, more pointed bill and denser spotting on underside. Saw it giving sooty-like smack calls, clinching the id."
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