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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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American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) (1)
- Reported Jan 30, 2026 11:11 by Linda Blue
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297312749 - Comments: "We were walking towards the location where this bird had previously been seen when we saw it fly by at this point: (34.4889688, -120.4898242) and it seemed to land a quarter mile northwest. It was a large, heavy looking bird, dark above, white below with a large thick “oystercatcher” bill. We couldn’t relocate it where we thought it landed, so it was either hiding well, or it over flew that spot and continued northwest, although there isn’t any good habitat between there and park, which means it would have gone even further north. Or, it flew south when we weren’t looking and went back to where it’s been hanging out."
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) (1)
- Reported Jan 30, 2026 11:11 by David Blue
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297312748 - Comments: "We were walking towards the location where this bird had previously been seen when we saw it fly by at this point: (34.4889688, -120.4898242) and it seemed to land a quarter mile northwest. It was a large, heavy looking bird, dark above, white below with a large thick “oystercatcher” bill. We couldn’t relocate it where we thought it landed, so it was either hiding well, or it over flew that spot and continued northwest, although there isn’t any good habitat between there and park, which means it would have gone even further north. Or, it flew south when we weren’t looking and went back to where it’s been hanging out."
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) (1)
- Reported Jan 29, 2026 13:23 by Sophie Cameron
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297273965 - Media: 17 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird. Seen about two miles down the coast from the parking lot area. It was foraging in the near intertidal and flew off which allowed for some wing and tail shots. Photos."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 30, 2026 11:11 by Linda Blue
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297312749 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "First found here yesterday by Sophie Cameron. This was a first winter bird, found today a few hundred yards down the beach southeast of the park. Slender and much smaller than the nearby Western Gulls, it had a large black bill (longer than Franklin’s Gull) and its eye arcs were thinner than Franklin’s. The tail had a black terminal band and the inner half of the wings had a white trailing edge. It had a smudgy gray cheek and hind neck, and black legs."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 30, 2026 11:11 by David Blue
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297312748 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "First found here yesterday by Sophie Cameron. This was a first winter bird, found today a few hundred yards down the beach southeast of the park. Slender and much smaller than the nearby Western Gulls, it had a large black bill (longer than Franklin’s Gull) and its eye arcs were thinner than Franklin’s. The tail had a black terminal band and the inner half of the wings had a white trailing edge. It had a smudgy gray cheek and hind neck, and black legs."
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 29, 2026 13:23 by Sophie Cameron
- Jalama Beach County Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5014432&<ll...>,-120.5014432 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297273965 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Medium gray gull with large black-colored bill. Appears to be first winter, retaining some brown feathers, smudgy on back of the head, and wide dark tail band. I saw this bird about a half mile downshore from the parking lot, I believe this is the first laughing gull in SBCO since 2019ish. Photos."
eBird Alerts provide recent reports of regionally or seasonally rare species (Rarities Alerts) or species you have not yet observed (Needs Alerts) in your region of interest; both Accepted and Unreviewed observations are included. Some reports may be from private property or inaccessible to the general public. It is the responsibility of every eBirder to be aware of and respectful of access restrictions. For more information, see our Terms of Use: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/terms-of-use/
