Date: 7/11/26 8:58 am From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- Ring-necked Duck (2 reports)
- King Eider (1 report)
- Long-tailed Duck (1 report)
- Red-breasted Merganser (3 reports)
- Black Skimmer (1 report)
- Least Bittern (1 report)
- American Redstart (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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Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 10, 2026 09:30 by Bob McCay
- Whale Rock Reservoir, Cottontail Creek arm., San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.870151&<ll...>,-120.870151 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S370295470 - Comments: "Probably continuing bird. Diving duck, black back with gray sides, peaked head, gray bill with white band near tip. Foraging out from the big pullout on the cottontail creek arm."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 10, 2026 16:14 by Tom Edell
- 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/S370428267 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Female in one of its two usual spots. Long distance look at overall brown duck with black bill that showed white in underwing when it flapped its wings. Very poor photo shows location at southern oyster facility. Bird is resting in front of right white upright pole. Slightly better view through scope."
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 05, 2026 16:00 by Kathy Phipps
- 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/S369521261 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "We saw this female long-tailed duck on the sandspit in Morro Bay. It was standing at the waters edge across from Tidelands Park."
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 10, 2026 16:14 by Tom Edell
- 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/S370428267 - Comments: "three flying together out into bay from upper estuary. Thin reddish billed ducks with white wing patches. Pale reddish heads were not brick red enough for Common Merganser."
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 09, 2026 12:24 by Terri May
- San Simeon Creek Mouth/Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1267052&<ll...>,-121.1267052 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S370210862 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Observed one bird in the creek near the bridge. It was very tattered in appearance. It had a long narrow bill with a small black portion on the tip, a small white plumage patch at the top of the bill, a small white patch under the bill, overall the body was light-colored plumage. Potentially an immature or molting individual."
Least Bittern (Botaurus exilis) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 10, 2026 08:52 by Tom Edell
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S370320840 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "One perched in bulrushes and then flying at NW end of lake. One seen at Prefumo creek outlet area and photographed in the mid-lake bulrushes. Distant bird identified in flight by small size and buff colored inner wing and dark flight feathers. Close bird appeared to be a male based on the chestnut color below the dark cap, brownish back, and white border to scapulars. (photos)"
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (1)
- Reported Jul 08, 2026 09:55 by Petra Clayton
- 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/S369639466 - Comments: "The most prominent field mark of this otherwise rather inconspicuous female-plumaged bird were the light yellow panels in the brown tail when fanned as the bird was moving through the willows on the east side of the loop trail, about 200 yards north of the Norswing entrance, by the black plastic culvert. It was mostly on the east side of the trail, closer to Highway One than the lagoon.
It had a medium gray head and face with a dark line through the eye and white eye arcs. The back was gray, the throat and breast were white and the belly was light yellow.
It is presumed to be a female, because it was seen carrying food in its dark bill. However, we were unable to locate the nest."
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