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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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Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus) (1)
- Reported Sep 23, 2026 07:12 by Gregory Smith
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395680047 - Comments: "Whoever cut down the tules on the near shore in front of the peninsula made it easier to see water ripples emanating from the peninsula vegetation. That is how I keyed in on something moving thru the vegetation. Eventually moved out of the vegetation onto the mud shore and then flew west across the small channel to more tules to the west. ~ five minutes later it reversed its route back to the peninsula. I had about 5-7 seconds of unobstructed views. Large bird for a rail with relatively thick, flesh-colored toes and feet. Lightish thighs and belly, along with whitish outer tail feathers. Mostly cinnamon-colored with buffy superciliary. Dark spots in upper/middle back. Pale throat, with long, slightly decurved bill that was mostly orange with a black tip."
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1)
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 15:05 by Terri Osborn
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395959321 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "Small flycatcher seen and heard calling in the riparian area west of the foot bridge. The bird was grayish-olive above with a slight crest on the back of its crown and a bit of white around the eye. It had a small bill, grayish white throat, a light yellow wash on its chest and belly and double white wing bars. Continuing bird found by Virginia and Barry on 9/21/2026. (Life bird for me)"
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 13:38 by Herb Elliott
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395924677 - Media: 5 Photos, 1 Audio
- Comments: "Small, compact Empidonax with short bill, short primary projection, and relatively long tail. Grayish-olive above, whitish throat, pale yellowish belly. During my stay the bird gave a sharp, "peek" call several times reacting to a couple Red-breasted Nuthatches.
First reported by Barry & Virginia (21 Sept 26)"
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 11:07 by Tom Edell
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395898609 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird in willows along Alva Paul Creek down creek from the small pedestrian bridge. It was foraging in the small opening created by the city's repair of a leaky water pipe. This was a small short billed empidonax, with two white wingbars, a messy white eyering, and a long primary projection. The bill had a dark upper mandible and a mostly orangish lower mandible. The gray head looked big and the tail appeared somewhat narrow at its base. The throat was pale and showed a weak contrast with the breast. One photo shows a clear gap in the primaries. (Photos)"
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 23, 2026 17:17 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- Del Mar Park--Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8586752&<ll...>,-120.8586752 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395781917 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Based on comparative photos, this is likely the continuing bird reported by Virginia and Barry Langdon-Lassange on September 21, 2026. This small empid had a small head that appeared mostly round to slightly flat, with a faint crest depending on the bird’s posture. The upper part of the head above the eye appeared grayish-olive and contrasted with the mostly gray face below the eye. The forehead appeared steep, and the very short bill had a dark upper mandible, while the lower mandible was dark at the tip and transitioned to a lighter color toward the base.
The eye was dark with a messy eye-ring and contrasted starkly with the lighter tones of the face. The whitish-gray throat did not contrast strongly with either the head or the gray/yellowish-washed underparts. The upper back and rump appeared similar in color to the head and contrasted with the long, dark wings, which showed two white wing-bars and long primary projection. The tail was short and slightly forked, and no tail-flicking behavior was observed.
We watched the bird fly-catch in short flights for approximately 4–5 minutes near the taped-off construction zone before it disappeared from view. The construction zone is in the willow grove a few yards south and west of the walking bridge at the north end of the park. We also observed a small, unidentified empid fly in and interact with the Hammond's for just a second before it flew from view."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (3)
- Reported Sep 23, 2026 10:45 by Kevin Zimmer
- East Cuesta Ridge, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.63186&<ll...>,-120.63186 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395953801 - Media: 16 Photos
- Comments: "At least 3, possibly as many as 5. We had 1 fly over the road headed south as we were approaching the Black Butte repeater station. Ten minutes later, we had a perched pair of nutcrackers together for a couple of minutes before they both flew out of sight to the west. 30 minutes later, as we were starting our return hike, we again encountered a feeding pair of birds along the road (possibly the same pair) about 1/4-mile west of our previous sighting. Photos to follow."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 07:09 by Kilian Hampl
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395873254 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. Likely a new individual, unfortunately h/o chinking loudly for about a minute somewhere from the Redstart location on the Norswing Drive trail. Call a very distinctive loud metallic “chink”."
Orange-crowned Warbler (sordida) (Leiothlypis celata sordida) (5)
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 07:09 by Kilian Hampl
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395873254 - Media: 14 Photos
- Comments: "*Expected. Likely all continuing with two in the native garden, one at the amphitheater, and two on the Norswing Drive trail (singles north and south of main entrance). Very dull large-billed OCWAs with greener upper and paler lower eye arcs, large-headed, faint hooded, and vested appearance, and extensive olive streaking on contrastingly brighter undertail coverts. Nearly all heard giving thick harsh metallic chip calls, lower-pitched and huskier than lutescens. Photos of several, see media comments for additional notes."
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 24, 2026 07:09 by Kilian Hampl
- Pismo SB--Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6265268&<ll...>,-120.6265268 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S395873254 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "*Rare but regular. HY male seen briefly near the native garden here: (35.108548, -120.627835). Colorful Grosbeak with dull pinkish bill, partially molted black and brownish head mostly pale below with some slight rosy color starting to molt in on breast and dark streaking on the flanks, black and white wing coverts, etc. Overall my views of this bird were poor and consistently obscured, but were rather close as it foraged deep in the shrubbery. Not long after I first saw it the bird moved slightly and then completely disappeared not to be seen again. Silent. Photos tba"
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