Date: 6/6/26 1:10 am From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- Lesser Scaup (1 report)
- King Eider (1 report)
- Long-tailed Duck (1 report)
- American Oystercatcher (1 report)
- American Herring Gull (1 report)
- Least Bittern (1 report)
- American Redstart (2 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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Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jun 05, 2026 08:55 by Ann Stockert
- Morro Bay Harbor, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.857&<ll...>,-120.857 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S352838124 - Comments: "*Rare summer. Ann and I were able to locate this continuing male Scaup hauled out with scoters on the edge of the Sandspit. This Aythya duck exhibited a rounded light gray bill, dark head that was peaked at the rear, as well as a dark vent, rump, tail, primaries, tertials, and breast which was sharply demarcated from the bright pale belly, flanks, and scapulars. The eye was pale, but due to the distance I was not able to determine the color, nor was I able to see at all the bill nail color or extent of dark coloration on the bill tip. Due to the distance I was not able to see any of the fine vermiculation on the scapulars and (to a lesser extent) the sides, nor was I able to see the legs or feet as this bird spent all of it’s time during our observation sitting with its head tucked, occasionally stopping and looking around before again tucking its head. Compared to male Greater Scaup, this bird’s head was clearly peaked at the rear (apparent even at the distance), the head appeared smaller, the pale sides and flanks were dingier and not quite as bright white, and the eye was not as centrally located on the face as expected in Greater. Due to the distance I was not able to see any of the additional subtle differences to distinguish from Greater. Although we did not spend much time studying this bird our views were decent (albeit distant) and were sufficient to identify this individual. However, due to the distance no photo documentation was attempted."
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jun 05, 2026 11:54 by The Spotting Twohees
- 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/S352917043 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing warbler on the NE side of the lake. Warbler with black head, back, and throat. White belly. Orange on the side of the breast and orange wing bar. Orange also on the side of the tail."
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jun 05, 2026 10:39 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/S352902766 - Comments: "Very rare summer. We were able to immediately hear the continuing returning ~7+ year old (ASY when found in 2021) male Redstart singing away upon arriving at its favored location on the Norswing Drive trail ~50 meters north of the main entrance to said trail. This bird foraged actively in the mid-story canopy of the willows, moving quickly and fanning its tail as it foraged. This was an obvious small parulid warbler that we saw entirely from below, and that exhibited a small dark pointed bill, short dark rictal bristles, a jet black eye, head, throat, upper back, and breast that extended down raggedly almost around the bright neon orange upper sides on each side and contrasted sharply with the otherwise white and neon orange underparts. The upper sides were a bright neon orange color that extended weakly down towards the flanks and extended barely into the vent area and contrasting strongly with the dark breast and slightly less strongly with the bright white underparts. There was also some orange speckling just below the center edge of the dark breast. This bird’s underparts were otherwise bright white. What little we could see of the underside of the folded primaries appeared to be dark. This bird had a short broad forked orange tail with long black tips, giving the tail a “half orange half black” appearance. What little of the uppertail coverts we could see appeared to be the same bright neon orange color as elsewhere on the bird. The legs, feet, and toes were dark. What we did not see well if at all of this bird were much of the wing coverts and middle and lower back. This Redstart continuously sang a short high pitched whistled song similar to (Northern) Yellow Warbler but slightly higher in pitch and buzzier, ending somewhat abruptly. It sang at least three different song dialects, including a whistled dialect that sounded similar to the “water wheel” song of Black-and-White Warbler that alternates in pitch but slightly lower pitched and shorter, a whistled dialect that sounded like a high-pitched clear “tsee-tsee-tsee” similar to Bay-breasted but slightly lower-pitched, slower, and longer, and a buzzy whistled dialect similar to the second dialect but ending abruptly with a descending buzzy “tzee-zew” note. The bird did not call to the best of my knowledge. Our views of this bird were relatively brief as the bird moved around a lot but were good and close as it foraged above us at times. Unfortunately due to this bird’s high level of activity and difficult lighting attempts at photos were unsuccessful and no attempts to record the bird were made."
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