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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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Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) (1)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 18:19 by Kilian Hampl
- 410 Pecan St, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.596334&<ll...>,-120.596334 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396640988 - Comments: "*Late. Female or HY male came briefly to the feeder several times, each time being chased away almost immediately by an Anna’s. Small pale hummingbird with long, slightly droopy bill, and pale throat with minimal spotting, etc. Gave high-pitched squeaky calls when chased typical of Archilochus. Not able to get photos"
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) (1)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 10:59 by Norman Pillsbury
- ECR 4 - CBA Lopez Mountain CW, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.601058&<ll...>,-120.601058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396674001 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Observed a smaller, lighter-built buteo soaring above the ridge along with a male Kestrel. The bird was a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk. It soared with its wings angled downward and showed brown upperparts, a pale-based, barred upper tail, a prominent white supercilium, brown streaking along the sides of the neck, a mostly creamy-white throat, and light streaking on the breast. The underwings were mostly clean white with some light brown markings, contrasting with dark trailing edges, wingtips, and a dark terminal band on the otherwise lightly-barred undertail."
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) (1)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 10:59 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- ECR 4 - CBA Lopez Mountain CW, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.601058&<ll...>,-120.601058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396652698 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Observed a smaller, lighter-built buteo soaring above the ridge along with a male Kestrel. The bird was a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk. It soared with its wings angled downward and showed brown upperparts, a pale-based, barred upper tail, a prominent white supercilium, brown streaking along the sides of the neck, a mostly creamy-white throat, and light streaking on the breast. The main underwings were mostly clean white with some light brown markings, contrasting with dark trailing wing edges, wingtips, and a dark terminal band on the otherwise lightly-barred undertail."
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1)
- Reported Sep 25, 2026 12:44 by Andrew Fleming🦉
- 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/S396571602 - Comments: "Small and cute flycatcher continuing to hang out around the area of turned up earth near the creek bridge. Seen with the Claytons. Often perching on mid level branches and flying down to the ground to catch bugs. Quite good views. Greenish back with grey head, white throat. Yellow belly and with grey vest. Slightly peaked crown. Small bill with yellow base. Incomplete white eyeing. Double wing bars. Narrow forked tail. Long wing tip projection."
Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 25, 2026 11:55 by Petra Clayton
- 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/S396270967 - Media: 3 Videos, 7 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing since 9/21/26.
Gray head; messy white eye ring; pale throat; light gray "vest;" light yellow belly and underparts; long primary extension giving it a short-tailed appearance; two white wingbars with a weaker upper one; small bill with a dark upper and an orangy lower mandible. --- Moving in the willows along Alva Paul Creek just past the foot bridge, occasionally briefly dropping to the ground, that was dug up recently on account of repairing a leak water pipe.
Click on the image below for a Flickr video:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/55550465707/in/dateposted-public/" title="Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii), Del Mar Park, Morro Bay, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/55550465707_fb3ab98e39.jpg" alt="Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii), Del Mar Park, Morro Bay, CA" /></a>"
Bell's Vireo (Least) (Vireo bellii pusillus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 25, 2026 15:45 by Tom Slater
- 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/S396584425 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Pale gray Vireo, one distinct wing bar, very non-descript Bird. Pale buffy spectacled pattern around eye, thick short bill typical of vireos. Very active, crashing through the leaves. Top of the head and neck and back were slightly darker than the paler throat and chest.
I called Will Knowlton on my way to Oceano.Will said he would try from the south end of the lagoon and I would start in the north and we would slowly work towards each other. After about two minutes of searching, the second bird I saw was the bells vireo. I got good looks and then gave Will a phone call. He met me within the minute and we searched again for the bird and refound it about five minutes later. Brian Kelly joined us and got some photos that I will post."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (2)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 08:58 by Pair of Wing-Nuts
- ECR 4 - CBA Lopez Mountain CW, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.601058&<ll...>,-120.601058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396651905 - Comments: "We observed two Clark’s Nutcrackers while biking toward the large, open saddle located between the two repeater towers (about 4.2 miles from the parking area). Both birds flew from the road bank near the north end of the saddle (here: 35°19'00.1"N 120°36'06.7"W), crossed the road to the east, and briefly landed in a large, thinning pine down-slope that appeared to be on its way to becoming a snag.
The birds remained in view only briefly as we scrambled off our bikes to grab our cameras from our backpacks. We were too slow, and the birds flew farther east. At a distance of 40 yards, however, their jet-black wings and contrasting gray backs and heads were unmistakable.
We spent the next two and a half hours in the saddle area but were unable to relocate the birds. A third bird that flushed from the road bank (here: 35°18'34.9"N 120°35'57.9"W) also looked promising, but we were unable to get clear enough views to confidently identify it before it disappeared from sight."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (2)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 08:58 by Norman Pillsbury
- ECR 4 - CBA Lopez Mountain CW, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.601058&<ll...>,-120.601058 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396673888 - Comments: "We observed two Clark’s Nutcrackers while biking toward the large, open saddle located between the two repeater towers (about 4.2 miles from the parking area). Both birds flew from the road bank near the north end of the saddle (here: 35°19'00.1"N 120°36'06.7"W), crossed the road to the east, and briefly landed in a large, thinning pine down-slope that appeared to be on its way to becoming a snag.
The birds remained in view only briefly as we scrambled off our bikes to grab our cameras from our backpacks. We were too slow, and the birds flew farther east. At a distance of 40 yards, however, their jet-black wings and contrasting gray backs and heads were unmistakable.
We spent the next two and a half hours in the saddle area but were unable to relocate the birds. A third bird that flushed from the road bank (here: 35°18'34.9"N 120°35'57.9"W) also looked promising, but we were unable to get clear enough views to confidently identify it before it disappeared from sight."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (1)
- Reported Sep 25, 2026 07:30 by Gregory Smith
- East Cuesta Ridge, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6290937&<ll...>,-120.6290937 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396661079 - Comments: "A Corvid larger than nearby Stellar's Jay. First seen foraging in Coulter pine after being found by NJ Mann. Gray body and head with all black wings and white undertail coverts. Stout all black bill. Took flight shortly thereafter where white tail with black central rectrices became visible.
(35.315856,-120.602026)"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 08:47 by Michael Mulroy
- Santa Rosa Creek Trail--Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1005139&<ll...>,-121.1005139 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396606942 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Three landed in the riparian area of Santa Rosa Creek, possibly to get a drink of water. We lost them after we got distracted by a large mixed-species flock that had surrounded us."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 08:47 by Will Knowlton
- Santa Rosa Creek Trail--Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1005139&<ll...>,-121.1005139 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396576150 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Three landed in the riparian area of Santa Rosa Creek, possibly to get a drink of water. We lost them after we got distracted by a large mixed-species flock that had surrounded us."
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (1)
- Reported Sep 26, 2026 09:10 by Lisa Ankenbrandt
- Oceano campground lagoon trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6270156&<ll...>,-120.6270156 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S396564553 - Comments: "Drab warbler in Willows along service rd between state park vehicle parking and campground. Watched for 15 min. Also saw oc warbler on same rd. Greenish gray back, distinct dark line thru eye, bold white eye brow, white belly. Distinguished from oc warbler by white eye brow vs pale gray to yellow on oc. No streaking and white belly."
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