Date: 7/17/26 5:09 pm From: Jamie Chavez via groups.io <almiyi...> Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] More on shorebirds
Even more on shorebirds from the Santa Maria River mouth today. This included a Red Knot, a sizeable flock of Western Sandpipers, and a few Red-necked Phalaropes. Also present was a Common Tern. Confirmed breeding Eared Grebe for the CA Bird Atlas. Most birds were toward the northern end, or what might be considered in SLO. Curiously, there was a 3" white egg sitting on the edge of the estuary shoreline. Anyone want to take a stab at which species might be involved?
On Friday, July 17th, 2026 at 3:38 PM, Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> wrote:
> I have been walking COP Beaches very early in the morning this week. It's been nice to pick up returning species like Sanderlings, Least Sandpiper, and Black Turnstone, while seeing the numbers increase a little each day for Western Sandpipers, SB Dowitchers, Black-bellied Plovers, and all the large shorebirds. Today I found an adult Surfbird at the western edge of the reef. I think this is quite early for this species. > > Also present today were four adult, clean California Gulls. Last year a few of these gulls over-summered, but this year, they have been scarce. > > Florence Sanchez > >
