Date: 3/23/26 9:04 pm From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- King Eider (1 report)
- Merlin (Black) (3 reports)
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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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King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Mar 22, 2026 11:10 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S312357698 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing female - large, all brown sea duck with sloping, all black bill. Initially observed loafing on mud flat north and east of oyster farm. As tide rose and flooded the mud flat, the duck took flight out in the bay and landed about 300 yards south of the oyster farm and began diving."
Merlin (Black) (Falco columbarius suckleyi) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Mar 22, 2026 17:08 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- The Lakes--Private Property, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.67129&<ll...>,-120.67129 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S312360902 - Media: 12 Photos
- Comments: "This falcon showed dark head and face with no visible malar, contrasting buff/white, faintly streaked throat, faint, light supercilium, very dark back that was nearly the same color as the solid black tail. Breast and and underwing were dark patterned and black upper tail showed narrow white tip and except for several small, faint, whitish spots, lacked any visible barring. Bird observed for 20 minutes hunting from several trees it returned to after each chase."
Merlin (Black) (Falco columbarius suckleyi) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Mar 22, 2026 17:08 by Norman Pillsbury
- The Lakes--Private Property, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.67129&<ll...>,-120.67129 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S312263927 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "This falcon showed dark head and face with no visible malar, contrasting buff/white, faintly streaked throat, faint, light supercilium, very dark back that was nearly the same color as the solid black tail. Breast and and underwing were dark patterned and black upper tail showed narrow white tip and except for several small, faint, whitish spots, lacked any visible barring. Bird observed for 20 minutes hunting from several trees it returned to after each chase. ID’d as Black Merlin by Steve Tillman."
Merlin (Black) (Falco columbarius suckleyi) (1)
- Reported Mar 22, 2026 17:08 by Jeff Miller
- The Lakes--Private Property, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.67129&<ll...>,-120.67129 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S312255056 - Comments: "This falcon showed dark head and face with no visible malar, contrasting buff/white, faintly streaked throat, faint, light supercilium, very dark back that was nearly the same color as the solid black tail. Breast and and underwing were dark patterned and black upper tail showed narrow white tip and except for several small, faint, whitish spots, lacked any visible barring. Bird observed for 20 minutes hunting from several trees it returned to after each chase."
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