Date: 9/15/26 5:06 pm From: Wim van Dam via groups.io <wim.van.dam...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Clark's Nutcracker invasion, Santa Barbara County
It's probably worth sharing that Santa Barbara County is currently enjoying an unprecedented invasion/irruption of Clark's Nutcracker. The last few mornings, birders have observed hundreds of them at La Cumbre Peak. And yesterday, Rebecca Coulter counted 1200 nutcrackers, which must be some kind of a record. Lehman describes the status of CLNU in Santa Barbara County as *"Probably a very rare late-summer, fall, and winter visitor to the highest mountains ... Casual fall and winter visitor in [coastal area]."*
We don't know where they are coming from or where they are going to, so it would be interesting to see if other counties are (unknowingly?) experiencing this irruption as well.
