Date: 4/29/26 8:43 am 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)
- Black Scoter (1 report)
- Common Merganser (1 report)
- Black Skimmer (3 reports)
- Elegant Tern (1 report)
- Gray Flycatcher (3 reports)
- Orange-crowned Warbler (Gray-headed) (1 report)
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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)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 11:00 by The Spotting Twohees
- 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/S329075802 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Seen on platform in the oyster farm. Pelican flew in and it walked behind the structure on the barge. Brown duck preening with sloped bill. Pale line coming off eye to rear also visible."
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 06:30 by Kevin Zimmer
- KJZ yard, Garcia Rd, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7064838&<ll...>,-120.7064838 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S329239786 - Comments: "One female that flew past me as I was sitting on our bench overlooking the creek at Duck Cove. Large, gray-bodied duck with a long, thin bill; white belly; rufous head and throat contrasting with white chin; and a rectangular white patch on the inner secondaries along the trailing edge of the wing. The bird was flying north along the creek, and caught me by surprise as it shot by and then disappeared from sight before reemerging in the distance, still going away. I did manage a couple of distant, blurry flight shots, which may at least confirm the identity. I've seen pairs or singles of Common Mergansers flying over the house on different occasions, but not in the last several years."
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) (1)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 13:45 by Isaiah Woodard
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S329124590 - Comments: "All pale-gray empid with orange lower mandible. Belly and breast whitish, no yellow-green shades at all. Characteristic slow downward tail bobbing. Foraging between a stone pine and maple near the apartments (south of the community garden). No vocalizations. Photos to be added."
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) (1)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 11:38 by Jeff Miller
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S329069233 - Comments: "Continuing near oak grove. Pale gray empid with round head, complete narrow eye-ring, pale yellow wash underneath, narrow bill with yellow lower mandible, tw white wing bars. Short primary projection. Wagged tail down when perched."
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) (1)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 07:53 by The Spotting Twohees
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S328985380 - Media: 1 Video
- Comments: "Continuing in the oak Grove. Seen perched flicking tail down and up quickly. Gray head and back. Paler breast and belly. Two white wing bars. Shorter primaries than Hammonds."
Orange-crowned Warbler (Gray-headed) (Leiothlypis celata celata/orestera) (2)
- Reported Apr 28, 2026 07:57 by Ann Stockert
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S329147651 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Scarce but regular spring migrant. Ann, Jeff, and I were able to locate two to three widely-spaced individuals that appeared to both be one of the “Gray-headed” subspecies with one at the base of the peninsula and another in the muddy area between the maintenance yard and the main Norswing Drive trail entrance.
The first individual moved around a wide area at the aforementioned first location and stayed high and relatively deep in pepper trees and oaks. It is possible that there were two individuals here as the warblers moved around frequently, but I am not certain of this. This was a mostly uniform pale green warbler with a medium length tail, dark eye, thin mostly dark bill, and dark legs. The eye-arcs (orbital feathers) were contrastingly paler and brighter than expected in the other two subspecies of Orange-crowned. The head had a grayish cast to it creating a faint gray “helmet” - unlike the other two Orange-crowned subspecies. The vent area was also slightly paler than the surrounding underparts.
The second individual was seen well (albeit briefly) in the aforementioned second location midheight in willows. This was also a paler green warbler that was a similar in color to the first individual but slightly paler and more uniform than that bird. It had a medium length tail, dark eye, a thin bill than was short and dark, and dark legs and feet. The eye-arcs (orbital feathers) were contrastingly pale similar to the first individual.
Both birds were silent. Ann and I attempted to photograph both individuals but only had success doing so with the first bird. We’ll see if the photos turn out; they will be added if so."
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