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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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Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 16:15 by David Lawrence
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375841167 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Medium-sized tern, black above, white below, black short legs and black bill. Black cap captures dark eye, with narrow straight black band extending from front of eye angled downward to base of bill, defining white forehead patch between lores , bill below, and black cap above."
Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 15:50 by Isaiah Woodard
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375837329 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Found earlier today by Luke Jensen. About the same size as the Elegant Tern, but with black upperparts, black legs and bill, white underparts, deeply forked tail, and white forehead patch."
Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 15:50 by Eric Wier
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375790053 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Found earlier today by Luke Jensen. About the same size as the Elegant Tern, but with black upperparts, black legs and bill, white underparts, deeply forked tail, and white forehead patch."
Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 13:54 by Kevin Zimmer
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375963932 - Media: 18 Photos
- Comments: "1st county record, first found and photographed earlier today by Luke Jensen. Medium-sized, adult tern, with entire upperparts blackish (crown darker shade of black), except for prominent white "headlight" on forehead, and white-edged outer rectrices of deeply forked tail. White below, including underwing linings, with darker (gray) undersides to remiges. Bill slender and black; tarsi and feet blackish. Lores black, setting off white forehead, which did not extend rearward in a point beyond the eye (as in Bridled Tern). Bridled Tern further eliminated by darker trailing edge and tip of underwing; darker tail; and more uniformly blackish upperparts, with only slight crown-back contrast."
Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 13:50 by Andrew Howe
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375956901 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Onychoprion tern sp. identified as Sooty due to dark black back and white restricted to in front of the eye. While sitting on the beach, presented as having long wings and a very low profile. Much as the Dockweiler bird did last year, this one appeared to want to hang out at the edges of the flock. A one-day bird, as is typical for Sooty Terns in California not associating with breeding colonies."
The Sooty Tern was among a large group of Elegant Terns, its dark black back, white forehead, and white underparts made it a standout. The bird's wings were relatively long, and its tail was deeply forked, setting it apart from other terns present."
The Sooty Tern was among a large group of Elegant Terns, its dark black back, white forehead, and white underparts made it a standout. The bird's wings were relatively long, and its tail was deeply forked, setting it apart from other terns present."
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) (2)
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 18:53 by Zane Pickus
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375881928 - Comments: "Continuing amongst the masses of ELTEs. Slightly smaller than nearby FOTE with black on head restricted to the hindcrown and nape, notable dark carpal bars, black bill, dark primaries, legs seemed slightly shorter as well."
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jul 23, 2026 13:54 by Kevin Zimmer
- Arroyo Grande Creek mouth, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6287241&<ll...>,-120.6287241 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S375963932 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "1st-summer bird with dark bill, more extensive dark mask (extending to nape) than like-aged Forster’s Tern, and obvious dusky carpal bar at “shoulder” of folded wing. Photos to follow."
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