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Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> Santa Barbara County Rare Bird Alert. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Santa Barbara County. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN35915 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated.
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Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 18:18 by Mario Ramos
- Santa Maria Mesa Road Ponds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.2678132&<ll...>,-120.2678132 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393043853 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Observed at dusk as the bird became active in flight. Medium-sized with long, pointed wings and a relatively long.Noted pale wing patches visible during flight. A somewhat blurry, photograph was obtained, but it shows the overall shape and wing pattern."
Craveri's Murrelet (Synthliboramphus craveri) (2)
- Reported Sep 12, 2026 11:25 by Matt Brady
- Santa Barbara Channel--west channel (SBA Co.), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.2144623&<ll...>,-120.2144623 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392988340 - Comments: "Distant pair of Murrelets, with relatively long bills and tail, and dark underwings in flight, seen in good light as we waited for a Humbback to surface."
Least Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates microsoma) (1)
- Reported Sep 12, 2026 08:25 by Matt Brady
- Santa Barbara Channel--offshore south of Campus Point, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8350906&<ll...>,-119.8350906 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392987518 - Comments: "First of the day, seen at (34.2937876, -119.8516181). No photos, but seen fairly well. In direct comparison to Black Storm-Petrels, this was a tiny, all-dark storm-petrel with deep wingbeats and erratic flight. The tail was wedge-shaped rather than forked."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (650) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 08:48 by Matt Brady
- La Cumbre Peak, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7147721&<ll...>,-119.7147721 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392946379 - Media: 5 Videos, 1 Audio
- Comments: "Running tally, part of an unprecedented movement of birds at La Cumbre over the past week or so. I tallied ~145 flying over in several groups within my first five minutes of arriving, then another flock of 144 counted with a clicker just before 9:15; after that that I tallied 21 at 9:24; 80 at 9:27; 35 at 9:36; ~75 at 9:53; 41 at 10:04; 15 at 10:08; 16 at 10:14; 15 at 10:18; 17 at 10:31; 54 at 10:44; final 3 at the very end of the checklist. I heard a few more birds just after the end of the checklist so I rounded to an even 650 individuals. I might have missed a few in the larger flocks anyway."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (1200) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 07:46 by Rebecca Coulter
- La Cumbre Peak, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7147721&<ll...>,-119.7147721 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392914727 - Comments: "Inconceivable numbers! Large flocks began around 8 AM and when I left at 9:40, there were still occasional smaller groups moving over and below the ridge at the peak. A handful stopped at the top of the conifers on the peak, but not for long. Mostly silent, but sometimes calling when perched or occasionally in flight one or two would call. The birds moved exclusively from east to west, mostly on the north side of the ridge, but sometimes right overhead dipping down to the south side of the ridge. They seemed to travel at multiple elevations, sometimes fairly high, but other times well below the ridge in the draw below on the north side. Several birders present, all of us with two questions: where the heck are they coming from and where the heck are they going?"
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 15, 2026 07:11 by Craig Murray
- Carpinteria Creek, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5140259&<ll...>,-119.5140259 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393143590 - Comments: "Continuing on E bank just south of 6th street. Large warbler skulking near water edge. Brown above with boldly striped chest and super cilium. Dull lighting so no apparent yellow wash."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 12:00 by Nathan Bradford
- Carpinteria Creek, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5140259&<ll...>,-119.5140259 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393000557 - Comments: "Continuing near 6th street entrance. Cruising the bank on the east side. Bobbing tail, large warbler in greyish, brownish, whitish and yellowish tones. Long/pale supercillium."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 18:30 by Zach Nett
- Garden St. willows, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.68577&<ll...>,-119.68577 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393046687 - Comments: "foraging along the carousel creek bank near the train tracks. streaky yellow washed brown warbler with dark eyeline, light eyebrow. been checking good habitat for these guys the last week and finally manifested one!"
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 18:01 by Linda Blue
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393027177 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Seen at 6:20 PM foraging along the near edge of Whittier Pond. It had dark brown upperparts and yellow underparts that were heavily streaked, and a long, consistently narrow supercilium. It walked (rather than hopped), and constantly bobbed its tail."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 18:01 by David Blue
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393027176 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Seen at 6:20 PM foraging along the near edge of Whittier Pond. It had dark brown upperparts and yellow underparts that were heavily streaked, and a long, consistently narrow supercilium. It walked (rather than hopped), and constantly bobbed its tail."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 11:36 by Yixin L
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392950627 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "first reported by Craig in the morning. striped, slight yellowish tint, upturned bill. bobbing along closer side of green heron pond (closest to entrance). did eventually call and fly to farther side perching along the reeds. very strange. photos"
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 10:58 by Libby Patten
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S393000389 - Comments: "Continuing at Whittier Pond. Heard from several spots around pound. Seen on tiny sand shoreline on south side of pond and well as balancing on reeds. Pumping tail."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 10:30 by Philip Zeng
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392937339 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Photos, reported by Craig in the morning, brown-and-white plumage with a whitish eyebrow and streaked underparts. The bird stayed near dense vegetation by the water."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 14, 2026 06:39 by Craig Prater
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S392873682 - Media: 1 Audio
- Comments: "In pond north of Mary Oliver Boardwalk close to parking lot of North Campus Open Space. Heatd mutliple calls over several minutes identified repeatedly as Northern Waterthrush by Merlin. Twice briefly saw calling bird in reeds near the edge of the pond. Birding while running so no camera with me. I will upload audio files later."
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