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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 Apr 17, 2026 08:44 by Judy G
- Morro Bay Estuary (use more specific location(s) when possible), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8501072&<ll...>,-120.8501072 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S323170265 - Comments: "This plump duck was preening on a sand bar with a group of cormorants near the mouth of the main estuary channel as the tide was coming up. It appeared to be a female we had seen here a few weeks ago. Dark bill, very short tail, Buffy brown plumage. When the sand bar disappeared at high tide, she swam/floated away on her own."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Apr 15, 2026 08:59 by Tom Edell
- Pasadena Drive (35.331, -120.843), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8428043&<ll...>,-120.8428043 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S322156067 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "continuing female. Diving north of south oyster farm when first seen. It swam toward small storage dock and then stood on small wood framed structure with Double-crested Cormorants and Brown Pelican. Brown duck primarily identified by bulky brown shape and head and bill (black) shape. Viewed through scope I caught glimpses of the pale line extending back from the eye and down the neck and the white axillaries and underwing median coverts. This bird was first seen on the bay in Aug 2025 and is at least a third year female. Photos taken from 0.25 mile distant and cropped."
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1)
- Reported Apr 17, 2026 11:05 by Mark Mushkat
- 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/S323159179 - Comments: "In large feeding frenzy off shore with gulls, pelicans, cormorants, and guillemots. Extensive white on back, undertail, crown, chest, neck. Lower chest dark. Dark cheek patch and bill."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (2)
- Reported Apr 17, 2026 11:35 by Jake Hager
- Morro Bay Estuary (use more specific location(s) when possible), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8501072&<ll...>,-120.8501072 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S323118979 - Comments: "Pair seen flying together from our oyster farm barge, from the estuary area south toward Los Osos. Seen well thru binoculars, overall black tern-like bird with white undersides and unmistakable large red bills."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Apr 17, 2026 08:44 by Judy G
- Morro Bay Estuary (use more specific location(s) when possible), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8501072&<ll...>,-120.8501072 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S323170265 - Comments: "Could not determine if they were a pair, but as we were kayaking along the shore of the estuary, these two skimmers went back and forth along the shoreline from the marina to the main channel near the sea lions. Back and forth, occasionally resting within a group of terns in the dry pickleweed next to the water. The skimmers were mostly black on top, white on bottom with bodies similar in size to a royal or elegant tern. Wingspan is quite wide and they fly with their heads down lower than their bodies as they get nearer the water. Bill is quite long, dark orange, and we witnessed them coming right to us as they skimmed their bills in the water."
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Apr 15, 2026 08:59 by Tom Edell
- Pasadena Drive (35.331, -120.843), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8428043&<ll...>,-120.8428043 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S322156067 - Comments: "Calling. Seen resting on oyster farm floats with Royal and Forester's Terns. They were smaller than the Royal Terns with a thinner and slightly down curved yellow-orange bill, a full black crown and had a shaggy rear crest."
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Apr 17, 2026 11:04 by Steve Schubert
- 7185–7677 San Simeon Creek Rd, Cambria US-CA 35.65389, -121.04404, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.044036&<ll...>,-121.044036 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S323096741 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "2 soaring at Rocky Butte and high over ridgeline to the south. Near area of VWS release site. White-wing panels and steady flight in contrast to nearby smaller Turkey vultures with dihedral profile and wobbly soaring."
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) (1)
- Reported Apr 18, 2026 12:02 by Derek Lee
- 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/S323728954 - Comments: "Yellow female with a thick, long bill. Wings slightly darker than body. No apparent wingbars. Perching on top of a tree for a few seconds. Flew south across the marine reserve before I had a chance to get a photo."
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