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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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Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal (hybrid) (Spatula discors x cyanoptera) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 09, 2026 13:08 by Doug & Diane Walkley
- Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8422726&<ll...>,-120.8422726 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293894615 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Male teal that looked very much like a Blue-winged Teal but with cinnamon tones to the breast and some cinnamon coloration in the otherwise white face crescent. Perhaps a hybrid teal backcrossed with a Blue-winged Teal?"
Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal (hybrid) (Spatula discors x cyanoptera) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 09, 2026 13:08 by Gail DeLalla
- Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8422726&<ll...>,-120.8422726 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293883509 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Male teal that looked very much like a Blue-winged Teal but with cinnamon tones to the breast and some cinnamon coloration in the otherwise white face crescent. Perhaps a hybrid teal backcrossed with a Blue-winged Teal?"
Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) (1)
- Reported Jan 11, 2026 10:35 by Gerry and Linda Baade
- Bluff Trail--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8948396&<ll...>,-120.8948396 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293954041 - Comments: "Small sort of football shaped bird with vary short neck. Grayish back and mottled sides. White underneath and breast extending up the sides of its neck. Dark head. Seen for a minute or two floating off the end of the rocks that stick out from the lookout with the closed stairs to the beach. We looked away for a second, then couldn't refind it in the choppy waves. We got a good look at it from not that far away. The only bird that I think could be confused with this one would be the Guadalupe Murlet but I think that would be very unlikely. An Ancient Murlet was seen, possibly the same one, about 3 weeks ago out in the bay so with the fairly strong nearly onshore winds for the last several days, I think that this would be possible."
Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) (1)
- Reported Jan 11, 2026 10:35 by Steve Ellis
- Bluff Trail--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8948396&<ll...>,-120.8948396 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293941577 - Comments: "Small sort of football shaped bird with vary short neck. Grayish back and mottled sides. White underneath and breast extending up the sides of its neck. Dark head. Seen for a minute or two floating off the end of the rocks that stick out from the lookout with the closed stairs to the beach. We looked away for a second, then couldn't refind it in the choppy waves. We got a good look at it from not that far away. The only bird that I think could be confused with this one would be the Guadalupe Murlet but I think that would be very unlikely. An Ancient Murlet was seen, possibly the same one, about 3 weeks ago out in the bay so with the fairly strong nearly onshore winds for the last several days, I think that this would be possible."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 11, 2026 08:21 by Steve Ellis
- 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/S293954315 - Media: 11 Photos
- Comments: "Viewed from 35.304464 -120.874432, looking west-northwest. Seems likely that it’s the same bird that the bigger field trip group found yesterday at Morro Creek (although I haven’t scrutinized the photos yet). We got a better view today, 10-15 minutes. Better photos. It was obvious today that the bird had a gimpy right leg."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 10, 2026 16:04 by Cathie Canepa
- 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/S293940012 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "One of only two birds (the other was a Western Gull) where the creek meets the beach (just downstream from the footbridge, very close to the hotspot pin). Originally spotted by Linda Baade, but several people in the group recognized it as a different and probably some kind of hooded gull. Shortly after discovery, it was promptly flushed by a person walking by, whereupon it flew west-southwest, out to sea, to the north of Morro Rock. It was large by hooded gull standards, with a large, dark bill that seemed to droop downwards somewhat. Smudgy ear patch that went around the back of the head. Mostly uniformly dark upper wings in flight. Tail mostly black. Others in the group will add additional photos."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 10, 2026 16:04 by Gail DeLalla
- 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/S293883428 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "One of only two birds (the other was a Western Gull) where the creek meets the beach (just downstream from the footbridge, very close to the hotspot pin). Originally spotted by Linda Baade, but several people in the group recognized it as a different and probably some kind of hooded gull. Shortly after discovery, it was promptly flushed by a person walking by, whereupon it flew west-southwest, out to sea, to the north of Morro Rock. It was large by hooded gull standards, with a large, dark bill that seemed to droop downwards somewhat. Smudgy ear patch that went around the back of the head. Mostly uniformly dark upper wings in flight. Tail mostly black. Others in the group will add additional photos."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 10, 2026 16:04 by Doug & Diane Walkley
- 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/S293894528 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "One of only two birds (the other was a Western Gull) where the creek meets the beach (just downstream from the footbridge, very close to the hotspot pin). Originally spotted by Linda Baade, but several people in the group recognized it as a different and probably some kind of hooded gull. Shortly after discovery, it was promptly flushed by a person walking by, whereupon it flew west-southwest, out to sea, to the north of Morro Rock. It was large by hooded gull standards, with a large, dark bill that seemed to droop downwards somewhat. Smudgy ear patch that went around the back of the head. Mostly uniformly dark upper wings in flight. Tail mostly black. Others in the group will add additional photos."
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 12, 2026 12:30 by Terri Osborn
- San Simeon Creek Road, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.0775634&<ll...>,-121.0775634 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293967715 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Seen while parked 6.4 miles up San Simeon Creek Road near 4825 San Simeon Creek Road. I was looking to the SW back down the canyon when I saw the larger California Condors soaring in circles with several Turkey Vultures. They were far off and I was looking into the sun so it was difficult to ID them initially. I was able to get a few poor distant photos and watched them for several minutes. Eventually they flew out of site over the hills to the north. I thought there were at least two California Condors but when I viewed my photos I could ID 3 different CA Condors. One had light colored wing tags and the other two had reddish wing tags. They were too far away to read the numbers on their wing tags."
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) (1)
- Reported Jan 12, 2026 14:07 by Ann Stockert
- 15533–15539 Soda Lake Rd, 35.21764, -119.89707, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.897071&<ll...>,-119.897071 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293965889 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Large buteo, with long, broad-tipped wings and long tail. Light morph, dark belly and wrist-patch with very pale flight feathers, and white base of tail. Seen with Russ and attempted distant photos."
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) (2)
- Reported Jan 10, 2026 08:55 by Gail DeLalla
- Whale Rock Reservoir, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8708239&<ll...>,-120.8708239 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293883475 - Comments: "With swallow flock over Cottontail Creek arm of the reservoir. At least two seen together briefly, unseasonable though it may be. Good vantage point looking down on the swallows under excellent light. All-brown swallows with brownish wash across the breast. Matt-brown upper surface, distinguishably different from the more glossy backs of Tree and Barn Swallows, even the dullest ones."
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) (2)
- Reported Jan 10, 2026 08:55 by Doug & Diane Walkley
- Whale Rock Reservoir, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8708239&<ll...>,-120.8708239 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293894583 - Comments: "With swallow flock over Cottontail Creek arm of the reservoir. At least two seen together briefly, unseasonable though it may be. Good vantage point looking down on the swallows under excellent light. All-brown swallows with brownish wash across the breast. Matt-brown upper surface, distinguishably different from the more glossy backs of Tree and Barn Swallows, even the dullest ones."
Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 12, 2026 13:52 by Gabriel Rudy
- Yard, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6678781&<ll...>,-120.6678781 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S293943257 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Originally seen in oak tree in neighbors yard with two Townsends Warblers. Then flew to my Elm, then apple tree. Hung around for an hour or so. 1 Star phone photo. First time seeing one in my yard, exciting for this time of year!"
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