Date: 7/22/26 8:27 pm From: Nick Lethaby via groups.io <nlethaby...> Subject: [sbcobirding] North Coast birding
All,
I decided to go up to the North Coast today. At times I was wearing a hoodie so I got a real shock when I arrived on the South Coast!
The main highlight was the large tern flock at the Santa Maria River Estuary. I eventually dug up 4 different Common Terns (a mostly alternate adult and three 1Y old birds) and there was also a Forster's there as well. I had hoped to see Least Terns well but although they were always in view, they were very distant. Any tips on where to get closer views of them at the SMRE would be welcome.
Shorebirds were pretty distant and I failed to find any of interest. The number of Eared Grebes at the SMRE was impressive. It is interesting to me that there were no Western or Clark's breeding there, like on the SYRE, where there are typically no breeding Eared Grebes.
I then had a good check of the SYRE and it was 'make to want to give up birding' bad, with very few shorebirds and only a single tern (I think the terns there are out of view on the ocean side of a sandspit at the mouth). Generally, I don't think Ocean Park and the SYRE is really worth the drive right now from the S Coast.
Regards.
Nick Lethaby Goleta, CA <nlethaby...> +1 805 284 6200
