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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 31, 2025 13:26 by Amanda Gaskin
- 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/S291468918 - Comments: "Small solid black bill, white cheeks and eye area with dark crown, black spot on lower cheek/side of neck, dark fore neck and hind neck, mostly white flanks, brown wings and back."
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (2)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Nick & Jane
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291270780 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Two small footballs flew past my lens while scoping for Arctic Loon. They headed southward. Rapid wingbeats. All-dark wings, white underside, dark pointy tail, dark partial collars. Dark smudges around eyes. Dark backs. Short bills. They were in a hurry. Original and cropped pics."
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (2)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:06 by Ann Stockert
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291243578 - Comments: "Alternate plumage of black, white, and gray, with a black cap that extended below the eye, a white collar, and dark grayish pattern on back, along with the bill being very short and thin. Seen flying while trying to focus on the Arctic Loon so no photo was taken, but Nick B was able to get a photo. Not seen by KH."
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (2)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:05 by Reef Comer
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291257059 - Comments: "Pair seen in flight heading south. Small, chunky, black and white alcids with blackish upperside, clean white underside, black extending below eye, and broad white collar and sides of rump. Bill looked short, but pointed. Direct flight style with very rapid wingbeats. Nick B has pics."
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Nick & Jane
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291270780 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Spotted a bird sitting high in the swells, had an extremely long neck. My brain was fixated on scoters so was thinking duck and snapped a photo. While looking at the photo kept thinking the bird had a long tail. I now don’t think this was a tail but maybe a foot being stretched. The face and bill didn’t look right in the photo for a duck—it’s more of a silhouette though it shows a pale cheek patch. I think what convinces me the most that this is a red-necked (along with the pale cheek) is the pose/silhouette of the bird, which matches a red-necked, the size and thickness and angle of its neck, and the reddish-brown coloring of the neck. The position of the bird makes it hard to see the bill. I feel dumb for not paying much attention, only enough for a quick photo. Had I paid better attention I would have got better photos. One was seen in the area, which I assume is this bird. Cropped and original photo. Thanks to AY for the ID."
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:06 by Ann Stockert
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291243578 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. Possibly the same bird seen recently in Avila? Medium-sized grebe with large dull yellow bill with darker culmen, somewhat wedge-shaped head, dark gray-brown sides on long neck, not as poofy as EAGR, etc. KH has a few somewhat suggestive digis."
Arctic Loon (Gavia arctica) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:12 by Nick & Jane
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291270780 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing. Mainly, I compared my observation with notes that noted ornithologist Kevin Zimmer posted yesterday in his report after re-finding the same bird along the sandspit somewhat north of this sighting (https://ebird.org/checklist/S291121925). When arriving, three birders said they spotted it not “ten seconds after beginning to look.” They were atop the sand dunes down from the sandspit lot off the A-Line Trail approximately here: 35.30330° N, 120.87513° W — The group peered straight outward and downward at a loon swimming between two scoter flocks, though it was east of the flocks by a dozen or more yards. The loon was maybe a hundred yards from shore and like KZ’s bird, wasn’t associating with red-throated loons that were dozens of yards away in the same low swells—it seemed content to be a loner unlike the group of pacific loons I recently saw off the bluffs at nearby MDO that swam in a huddled pack. The bird was easily viewable in the clear morning light—my nikon p950 allowed me to scope in closer and examine field marks. Per KZ’s remarks about his sighting, this bird also had a dark flat crown and more “angular rise to the forehead.” Though what I first noticed was that the bird more resembled a pacific loon’s basic plumage—dark greyish brown upperparts including back and sides of neck—and with that a stark demarcation between the dark and light feather line on the sides of the neck. Its dark grey-brown crown extended below the eyes. Also like KZ’s bird these high contrasting lines on neck and face were “sharp and even.” Pacific loons seen throughout the morning had similar plumage but not the blocky head shape nor a striking white flank patch that could often be seen after its brief dives. Those loons had rounded heads and were notably smaller, less chunky and hunky. While this bird’s white underside was also glimpsed, the rear ovalesque flank patch also stood out as a higher patch of white—and while I didn’t always see the patch as KZ reported, I did note the patch many times as if a big oval whited-out eye. The bird often turned its head and changed directions, and was often angled away from shore. I do think that if the bird were lumbering like a tugboat parallel to the beach that the patch would have always been prominent. The bird faced us multiple times and no dark chin strap could be seen. The bill was thicker than a red-throated, though the bill is difficult to see in pics—and in another comparison to KZ’s bird—the bill was often angled upward. This is also likely the same bird KH found on Dec. fourteenth near Morro Rock. Distant photos—originals and cropped."
Picked out almost immediately upon arrival today as a candidate by RC from the entrance to the sandspit here: (35.303107, -120.874471). The bird itself was in this general area: (35.303276, -120.878783). Our small group struggled to get Identifiable looks initially due to the bird being rather distant until a scope was set up (and KH missing the MAMUs in the process 🫤). The loon spent the next hour in the area until ~9:05 am when it suddenly took flight and headed much farther offshore and eventually far to the south and out of sight. During today’s observation it only dove a few times, and spent most of its time swimming and preening.
This was a medium-sized basic-plumaged loon that was striking overall with a strong contrast between the dark back, hindneck, and hood and the bright white face, throat, and breast - more so than other loons and lacking the jagged collar of Common. The dark hood extended down around the eye more extensively than Red-throated and the majority of Common. This bird completely lacked the chinstrap that is characteristic of many/most Pacifics and this was apparent even at a distance. One of the more striking features apparent in this bird was the bright contrasting white rear flank patch, obvious at all times during the ~1hr it was present. In addition, the whitish upper flanks/sides were also visible at times, even when the bird was not preening. In terms of structure, this bird seemed rather long-necked and perhaps slimmer compared to Pacifics with a more blocky flat head shape recalling Common and a steeper forehead that peaked somewhat at the forecrown. Its bill was straight and dagger-like, yet thinner than Common and Yellow-billed and larger than Red-throated. It held its bill more upright than Pacific, similar to how Yellow-billed and Red-throated do.
After the ARLO flew off a few Pacific Loons moved into the area and were noticeably smaller, darker, and rounder-headed than the Arctic with chin-straps and were holding their bills straighter than the Arctic.
KH was able to get some somewhat suggestive digis and pics that may slightly show the white flank patch and overall structure but might otherwise not be super useful as documentation. NB also was able to get some photos I believe.
Writeup and Doc to be submitted to CBRC at some point."
Arctic Loon (Gavia arctica) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 08:05 by Reef Comer
- Morro Bay Sandspit, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8670158&<ll...>,-120.8670158 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291257059 - Media: 10 Photos
- Comments: "Almost certainly same apparent basic adult seen on the CBC and yesterday very close to here by Kevin Zimmer. Seen with KH, Ann Stockert, and Nick Belardes from entrance to sandpit beach.
Initially spotted just past waves, but steadily swam further out. “A pacific loon on steroids,”as KH describes it. Smaller than nearby common and bigger and darker than red-throated. Unfortunately, no close pacific to compare to, but appeared larger with heavier, longer, straight bill and longer necked with distinct, flat-topped, anvil-like head, which it held at an upright angle, much like red-throated.
Plumage was very dark brown on upperside and bright contrasting white below on underside. More extensive white cheeks than pacific and dark “chinstrap” of pacific noticeably absent. Bird was fairly active and white flanks were not always evident, but were clearly visible at times nonetheless, even when not preening. Small white “hip patch” seen at all times, including facing away. Eventually, picked up and flew well south. Had to leave for work at this point and admittedly did not see it in flight, but observed it for almost an hour. Poor, but diagnostic digis attached."
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