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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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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:49 by Yixin L
- UCSB Main Campus trails, Santa Barbara US-CA 34.41515, -119.83724, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.837239&<ll...>,-119.837239 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400163671 - Comments: "Found by Ben Byerly. Seen through scope in waning light with other birders. Lighter godwit with reddish looking bill. No photos, others probably have some media."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:49 by Chris Jain
- UCSB Main Campus trails, Santa Barbara US-CA 34.41515, -119.83724, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.837239&<ll...>,-119.837239 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400163670 - Comments: "Found by Ben Byerly. Seen through scope in waning light with other birders. Lighter godwit with reddish looking bill. No photos, others probably have some media."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:48 by Noah Gaines
- UCSB--East beach (formerly Goleta Bay West beach), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8419678&<ll...>,-119.8419678 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400174303 - Comments: "This bird was found today by Ben Byerly. I’ve learned about the bird and drove like a maniac down to UCSB. I parked near the beach between campus point and Goleta Beach and was disappointed to see the tide was real high, and there was no way to walk on the beach. Furthermore, the sun had already set and it was getting dark quickly. I considered getting wet and saw that there was a bunch of other birders walking along the Bluffs towards Goleta Beach they were scoping a large flock of short birds from near Henley Gate. They had had the bird recently, but it was lost by the time I got there. I borrowed someone’s scope and was able to find it quickly view it for a minute and then had to takeoff. The bird was foraging in the wet sand and was immediately identified due to its pale eyebrow. The eye brow was wide and flared and immediately obvious. It was also noticeably smaller and less chunky and less peachy than the nearby marbled godwits. The bill was straighter and less upcurved and was pinkish at the base and dark at the tip. The underparts were pale gray and the wing panel was contrasty dark brown and gray. The legs were black. I never saw the bird in flight so did not note the underwings or tail."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 17:40 by Benjamin Byerly
- UCSB--East beach (formerly Goleta Bay West beach), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8419678&<ll...>,-119.8419678 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400165229 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Loosely associating with a few other Marbled Godwits. First impression was a very pale godwit lacking the cinnamon tones of the MAGO and a contrasting white supercillium. Bill was pink at the base and black at the tip. Slightly smaller than nearby MAGO. In flight the absence of cinnamon tones was readily apparent and the bird could be easily picked out from the flock.
First seen about 200 meters North of the stairs that go down from Lot 6 (e.g. towards Goleta Beach if starting from Campus Point. Flushed once and settled closer to the stairs. Then flew in direction of Campus Point and was unable to relocate for about 1 hour. Eventually re-found on the beach just south of Henley Gate where it was seen in flight and others (I think) got acceptable views and maybe photographs."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:21 by Yixin L
- UCSB--Henley Gate Coastal Bluff, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8361826&<ll...>,-119.8361826 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400177738 - Media: 1 Video, 3 Photos
- Comments: "**Rare.** First reported by Benjamin Byerly this evening at around 5:51 PM. We relocated the bird at approximately 6:40 PM, viewing it on UCSB East Beach from the coastal bluff east of Henley Gate.
Overall very pale cf. the warmer brown/cinnamon color of nearby Marbled Godwits. Also noticeably smaller than the Marbled Godwits. Underwing lack cinnamon color, looks barred from the video (maybe Siberian cf. white underwing from the European). Bill base is pink, with black tip. Very contrastive white supercilium. Quite aggressive, chasing away nearby Marbled Godwits and Willets.
This was actually a really fun bird chase! We first ran into Benjamin Byerly at the northeast corner of UCSB Lot 6, then walked along UCSB East Beach toward Goleta Beach with Sophie Cameron and Ryan Seppala. Dave Compton and Phillip Zeng joined us later from Campus Point. Dave mentioned that this was only the third record for Santa Barbara County, very cool! We eventually stopped at the coastal bluff just east of Henley Gate and scanned the beach to the south. Someone kindly helped me set up my scope (I unfortunately forgot who it was, but thank you!), and I was able to get a clear view of the bird and record a video. It was very dark when we relocate the bird.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and helped search for the bird."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:21 by Caroline Chen
- UCSB--Henley Gate Coastal Bluff, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8361826&<ll...>,-119.8361826 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400174871 - Media: 1 Video, 3 Photos
- Comments: "**Rare.** First reported by Benjamin Byerly this evening at around 5:51 PM. We relocated the bird at approximately 6:40 PM, viewing it on UCSB East Beach from the coastal bluff east of Henley Gate.
Overall very pale cf. the warmer brown/cinnamon color of nearby Marbled Godwits. Also noticeably smaller than the Marbled Godwits. Underwing lack cinnamon color, looks barred from the video (maybe Siberian cf. white underwing from the European). Bill base is pink, with black tip. Very contrastive white supercilium. Quite aggressive, chasing away nearby Marbled Godwits and Willets.
This was actually a really fun bird chase! We first ran into Benjamin Byerly at the northeast corner of UCSB Lot 6, then walked along UCSB East Beach toward Goleta Beach with Sophie Cameron and Ryan Seppala. Dave Compton and Phillip Zeng joined us later from Campus Point. Dave mentioned that this was only the third record for Santa Barbara County, very cool! We eventually stopped at the coastal bluff just east of Henley Gate and scanned the beach to the south. Someone kindly helped me set up my scope (I unfortunately forgot who it was, but thank you!), and I was able to get a clear view of the bird and record a video. It was very dark when we relocate the bird.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and helped search for the bird."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:21 by Chuhan Li
- UCSB--Henley Gate Coastal Bluff, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8361826&<ll...>,-119.8361826 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400174390 - Media: 1 Video, 3 Photos
- Comments: "**Rare.** First reported by Benjamin Byerly this evening at around 5:51 PM. We relocated the bird at approximately 6:40 PM, viewing it on UCSB East Beach from the coastal bluff east of Henley Gate.
Overall very pale cf. the warmer brown/cinnamon color of nearby Marbled Godwits. Also noticeably smaller than the Marbled Godwits. Underwing lack cinnamon color, looks barred from the video (maybe Siberian cf. white underwing from the European). Bill base is pink, with black tip. Very contrastive white supercilium. Quite aggressive, chasing away nearby Marbled Godwits and Willets.
This was actually a really fun bird chase! We first ran into Benjamin Byerly at the northeast corner of UCSB Lot 6, then walked along UCSB East Beach toward Goleta Beach with Sophie Cameron and Ryan Seppala. Dave Compton and Phillip Zeng joined us later from Campus Point. Dave mentioned that this was only the third record for Santa Barbara County, very cool! We eventually stopped at the coastal bluff just east of Henley Gate and scanned the beach to the south. Someone kindly helped me set up my scope (I unfortunately forgot who it was, but thank you!), and I was able to get a clear view of the bird and record a video. It was very dark when we relocate the bird.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and helped search for the bird."
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 18:21 by Philip Zeng
- UCSB--Henley Gate Coastal Bluff, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8361826&<ll...>,-119.8361826 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400179269 - Media: 1 Video, 3 Photos
- Comments: "**Rare.** First reported by Benjamin Byerly this evening at around 5:51 PM. We relocated the bird at approximately 6:40 PM, viewing it on UCSB East Beach from the coastal bluff east of Henley Gate.
Overall very pale cf. the warmer brown/cinnamon color of nearby Marbled Godwits. Also noticeably smaller than the Marbled Godwits. Underwing lack cinnamon color, looks barred from the video (maybe Siberian cf. white underwing from the European). Bill base is pink, with black tip. Very contrastive white supercilium. Quite aggressive, chasing away nearby Marbled Godwits and Willets.
This was actually a really fun bird chase! We first ran into Benjamin Byerly at the northeast corner of UCSB Lot 6, then walked along UCSB East Beach toward Goleta Beach with Sophie Cameron and Ryan Seppala. Dave Compton and Phillip Zeng joined us later from Campus Point. Dave mentioned that this was only the third record for Santa Barbara County, very cool! We eventually stopped at the coastal bluff just east of Henley Gate and scanned the beach to the south. Someone kindly helped me set up my scope (I unfortunately forgot who it was, but thank you!), and I was able to get a clear view of the bird and record a video. It was very dark when we relocate the bird.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and helped search for the bird."
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 11:28 by Thomas Turner
- UCSB--Campus Lagoon, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.845165&<ll...>,-119.845165 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400091842 - Comments: "Long legged shorebird standing on land. Roughly half the size of the Greater Yellowlegs next to it. Very thin bill. White face and throat, but otherwise gray. There was a pretty sharp demarcation between white and gray on the sizes of the neck. Couldn’t tell what color the legs were."
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 09:10 by Armando Aispuro
- Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve--Devereux Lagoon, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8756027&<ll...>,-119.8756027 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400063093 - Comments: "Smallish tern with velvety black cap covering the eye, small red bill with black tip, and dark carpal bars on shoulder area. Seen flying around the Devereux Slough canal in front of the half-bridge. This and other individuals are regularly seen on the beach as well."
Cocos Booby (Sula brewsteri) (8)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 11:14 by John Amoroso
- Auto selected 34.06827, -119.52152, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.52152&<ll...>,-119.52152 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400096567 - Comments: "Photos TBA. Between Anacapa and Sant Cruz Islands, on Santa Barbara side: (34.0886601, -119.4910913). Group of boobies on fish. Will check photos, at least 5 in air at once and three on the water."
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 07:46 by Pete Wolf
- Lake Los Carneros Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.84975&<ll...>,-119.84975 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400102205 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing. Brown & cream colored "heron" like bird. Standing on the edge of bulrush near West Point (34.4417158420466, -119.84949700167687) hunting dragonflies."
White-headed Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus albolarvatus) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 16:22 by Zach Nett
- Bella Vista OSP, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8836064&<ll...>,-119.8836064 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400180394 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "male with red patch on back of head. spooky ghost-lookin bird for October. seen when I first arrived in dead pine in SW corner of park. as I was leaving, it was flushed by a Cooper’s hawk that landed in the same tree. it vocally flew SW into the neighborhood and did not return."
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 09:55 by Peter Gaede
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5353699&<ll...>,-119.5353699 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400160924 - Comments: "Male. Small flycatcher overall red with dark brown wings, tail and mask. Seen briefly moving through saltbush near the CSMR entrance gate, inside the marsh proper."
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 12:25 by Dawn Garcia
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Anchorage and Beach Area, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5555481&<ll...>,-119.5555481 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400260829 - Comments: "There she (or male imm. was!). Petite flycatcher with brown upperparts, white underparts and peach-colored flanks and undertail covs. Pics. Sweet. Sitting near larger WCSP on an antique tractor steering wheel."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 09:55 by Peter Gaede
- Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5353699&<ll...>,-119.5353699 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400160924 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "First seen foraging out from along the fenceline adjacent to the railroad tracks just east of the entrance. Foraged out into the marsh several times. Photos."
Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 12:26 by Sangeet Khalsa
- Santa Rosa Island / Wi'ma (SBA Co.), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.108001&<ll...>,-120.108001 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400153476 - Comments: "Seen well at large Island Oak on side of the road just before turnoff to Johnson’s Lee. Unmistakable gray thrush with bold white eyering and buffy wing patch."
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) (1)
- Reported Oct 07, 2026 12:15 by Jordan Downs
- Casa de la Guerra, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.6992228&<ll...>,-119.6992228 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S400109999 - Comments: "Female in drab olive with signature white wing patch, actively predating insects in the quercus agrifolia in the courtyard. Active for more than an hour spanning from 12:15 to 1:40."
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