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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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Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (2)
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 16:32 by Kilian Hampl
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402403857 - Comments: "**Continuing pair found by Jack Clayton, Kevin Zimmer, and Bill Rucci in the first campground loop. Watched for some time in the dead pines at campsite 19 before eventually flying to pine at campsite 18 where presumably roosting. Distinctive large stocky finches with very thick pale horn-colored bills, dark eyes, brownish (M) and grayish (F) heads, yellow forehead and eyebrow (M), brown (M) and grayish (F) back, yellow collar (F), brown (M) and buffy pale (F) breast and belly, yellow (M) and bright white (F) undertail coverts, yellow (M) and gray (F) rump, white (M) and largely grayish and white (F) tertials and secondaries, black (M) and black with white edges and spots (F) on primaries, short black (M) and black and white spotted (F) tail, and dull flesh-colored legs and feet. Male heard calling once, a loud piercing “teer” that sounded like probably Northwestern/Type 1 (H. v. brooksi), but without hearing more calls or obtaining a recording I cannot be sure. Photos"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (2)
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 16:32 by Liam Hampl
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402403858 - Comments: "**Continuing pair found by Jack Clayton, Kevin Zimmer, and Bill Rucci in the first campground loop. Watched for some time in the dead pines at campsite 19 before eventually flying to pine at campsite 18 where presumably roosting. Distinctive large stocky finches with very thick pale horn-colored bills, dark eyes, brownish (M) and grayish (F) heads, yellow forehead and eyebrow (M), brown (M) and grayish (F) back, yellow collar (F), brownish yellow (M) and buffy pale (F) breast and belly, yellow (M) and bright white (F) undertail coverts, yellow (M) and gray (F) rump, white (M) and largely grayish and white (F) tertials and secondaries, black (M) and black with white edges and spots on primaries (F), short black (M), black and white spotted (F) tail, and dull flesh-colored legs and feet. Male heard calling once, a loud piercing “teer” that sounded like probably Northwestern/Type 1 (H. v. brooksi), but without hearing more calls or obtaining a recording I cannot be sure. Photos"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 14:06 by Doug Drynan
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402404030 - Media: 7 Photos
- Comments: "continuing birds, first observed today in this location by Jack Clayton. I didn't see the birds until I had been at the site for about an hour. Then a beautiful adult male came into view in one of the tall pines right behind the shed where they sell firewood, across from campsite 19. large plump looking finch. Male was a beautiful greenish yellow with a bright yellow forehead and supercilium. black wings and tail with bright white wing patch. lemon yellow under tail coverts. I later also saw the female when they had moved to a different tree. Female was more drab, mostly grey brown with some yellowish wash on sides of the neck. black wings and tail with white wing patch and also white tips on tail. Both birds had a large conical bill, very pale in color."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (4)
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 16:32 by Liam Hampl
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402403858 - Comments: "*Very rare, irruptive. Apparently continuing birds found by Doug Drynan? Two males heard initially and then seen flying out of the pines at campsite 17 and into the farther cypress at the amphitheater. Not long afterwards what sounded like at least two more were h/o calling from the pines at campsite 17 for a total of four birds, although there could have been more. At least these latter 2+ birds seemed to be bedding down for the night. Large reddish finches with distinctive thick crossed dark bills, dark eyes, brownish red wings and short tails, and dark legs. Calls heard were repeated “kip kip” vaguely similar to the introductory notes of wrentit song. Photos"
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (4)
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 16:32 by Kilian Hampl
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402403857 - Comments: "*Very rare, irruptive. Apparently continuing birds found by Doug Drynan? Two males heard initially and then seen flying out of the pines at campsite 17 and into the farther cypress at the amphitheater. Not long afterwards what sounded like at least two more were h/o calling from the pines at campsite 17 for a total of four birds, although there could have been more. At least these latter 2+ birds seemed to be bedding down for the night. Large reddish finches with distinctive thick crossed dark bills, dark eyes, brownish red wings and short tails, and dark legs and feet. Calls heard were repeated “kip kip” vaguely similar to the introductory notes of wrentit song, which I suspect is representative of type 2, though without a recording to analyze I am not certain. Photos"
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (6) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 14:06 by Doug Drynan
- Islay Creek Campground--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8838502&<ll...>,-120.8838502 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402404030 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "I was looking in the pine tree where the evening grosbeak had been seen, and saw at least two crossbills at the top of the tree. An American kestrel flew over and flushed the flock and that's when I saw six birds fly out and head east. They were giving 'jip' call notes. I was able to clearly see a yellow colored female, with the curved bill where tips crossed. She was washed in yellow with dark wings. There was also at least one red male."
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