Date: 5/17/26 4:00 pm
From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...>
Subject: [sbcobirding] [eBird Alert] Santa Barbara County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:

- Bufflehead (1 report)
- Royal Tern (1 report)
- Cocos Booby (1 report)
- Little Blue Heron (14 reports)
- Bell's Vireo (1 report)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1 report)
- Black-and-white Warbler (1 report)

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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.

eBird encourages safe, responsible birding. Some reports may be from private property. Respect access restrictions and follow the rules wherever you bird. For more information, visit the eBird and Merlin Community Guidelines: https://ebird.org/community-guidelines. Stay connected to the global birding community with eBird Updates: https://mailchi.mp/cornell/ebird-updates-sign-up-page.

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 10:30 by John Deacon
- New Cuyama WTP, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.6969408&<ll...>,-119.6969408
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340347528
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "I struggled with this one. I brushed it off as a Bufflehead then the more I stared at my awful pictures the more I questioned my call. Very small duck at far side of the pond. White cheek patch. Black head."

Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 11:12 by dave koehler
- Santa Cruz Island--Pelican Bay Trail (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.6923032&<ll...>,-119.6923032
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340571280
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Photo"

Cocos Booby (Sula brewsteri) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 15:54 by Garyn DeRosa
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Anchorage and Beach Area, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5555481&<ll...>,-119.5555481
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340456174
- Comments: "Brown booby flying over scorpion anchorage."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 11:58 by James Rounds
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341227385
- Comments: "Continuing bird."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 11:18 by Dawn Hovey
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341302725
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing. Seen in the estuary between the bridge and the ocean. See photos."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 09:07 by Eunice Schroeder
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341277412

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 09:07 by Eunice Schroeder
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341276287

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 09:07 by Eunice Schroeder
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341276716

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 09:05 by Eunice Schroeder
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341250793
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Small heron, mostly bluish-gray with purplish neck and bicolored blue and black bill. Presumably the same individual seen by many birders over the past several days at Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park. Photo."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 08:32 by Marc Better
- Carpinteria Creek Estuary, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5198238&<ll...>,-119.5198238
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341052427
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Small dark heron, blue body with purplish head, black bill gray at base, gray legs. Located at Carpenteria Creek mouth. Likely bird recently seen in nearby Capenteria Salt Marsh. Photo."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 13:32 by Nathan Bradford
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5283666&<ll...>,-119.5283666
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341270899
- Comments: "Continuing"

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 13:05 by Jenny Slaughter
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5283666&<ll...>,-119.5283666
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340388052
- Comments: "Adult- dark blue/grey body with purplish neck."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 13:05 by Craig Murray
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5283666&<ll...>,-119.5283666
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340533706
- Comments: "Adult- dark blue/grey body with purplish neck."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 09:31 by Zach Nett
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5283666&<ll...>,-119.5283666
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341284816
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "continuing bird, foraging east of franklin creek footbridge. beautiful small blue heron with two tone bill."

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 06:17 by Elena Oey
- Tarpits Beach, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.516668&<ll...>,-119.516668
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340871319
- Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Small blue gray heron foraging on the rocks. Reddish neck and head, blue bill with black tip. Bad phone pics taken and will be added later"

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 06:17 by Nathan Foster
- Tarpits Beach, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.516668&<ll...>,-119.516668
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340888954
- Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Small blue gray heron foraging on the rocks. Reddish neck and head, blue bill with black tip. Bad phone pics taken and will be added later"

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 06:17 by Laura Ingulsrud
- Tarpits Beach, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.516668&<ll...>,-119.516668
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341013021
- Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Small blue gray heron foraging on the rocks. Reddish neck and head, blue bill with black tip. Bad phone pics taken and will be added later"

Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) (1)
- Reported May 12, 2026 10:22 by David Levasheff
- Bell's Vireo Location, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.9346148&<ll...>,-119.9346148
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S340373100
- Comments: "A location for the last week for this species observed by several. Three in our party heard the bird, one in our party may have glimpsed it."

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) (1)
- Reported May 16, 2026 08:24 by Guy Tingos
- 5049 Walnut Park Drive, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7977167&<ll...>,-119.7977167
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341271530
- Comments: "Continuing bird visiting back yard and water feature. Small, active bird with a thin bill. Red crown feathers exposed when wet. Strong dark wing bar below thinner white one. Incomplete eye ring. Notably late for this species."

Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) (1)
- Reported May 17, 2026 07:50 by Philip Zeng
- Refugio Creek Canyon, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.0666796&<ll...>,-120.0666796
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S341259246
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "has a photo, female, It clearly has black-and-white stripes"

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