Date: 10/16/26 9:03 am From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- Common Tern (2 reports)
- American Bittern (1 report)
- Tropical Kingbird (4 reports)
- Evening Grosbeak (10 reports)
- Evening Grosbeak (Northwestern or type 1) (1 report)
- Red Crossbill (10 reports)
- Black-throated Sparrow (1 report)
- Orange-crowned Warbler (sordida) (1 report)
- Chestnut-sided Warbler (1 report)
---------------------------------------------
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.
eBird encourages safe, responsible birding. Some reports may be from private property. Respect access restrictions and follow the rules wherever you bird. For more information, visit the eBird and Merlin Community Guidelines: https://ebird.org/community-guidelines. Stay connected to the global birding community with eBird Updates: https://mailchi.mp/cornell/ebird-updates-sign-up-page.
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 13:32 by Ellen Stepniewski
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402656604 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "2 at first in brushy habitat with occasional taller small trees with naked branches at tops near start of boardwalk trail. One flew very high and headed southwest out of sight. Photos and heard a single series of characteristic twitter notes from the bird that remained."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 13:32 by Andy Stepniewski
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402656587 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "2 at first in brushy habitat with occasional taller small trees with naked branches at tops near start of boardwalk trail. One flew very high and headed southwest out of sight. Photos and heard a single series of characteristic twitter notes from the bird that remained."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:16 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/S402643286 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. Likely a continuing bird last seen on the 4th. First found by Maggie Smith this morning between the maintenance road and yard then relocated on power lines closer to the county park later where I saw it with a few Cassin’s. Lanky medium-sized Tyrannus with large black bill, dark eye, mostly pale gray head, dark eyeline, slightly but more extensively paler throat, greenish upper breast, lemon yellow belly and undertail coverts, dull greenish back, dark wing coverts with pale edges on all feathers, and thinner (for a kingbird) tail of medium length that was entirely dark and slightly forked. I was not able to see well if at all the legs and feet. Silent. Photos"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 16:13 by Carol Comeau
- 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/S402650328 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "As we pulled up to park at the Ranch House, Curtis Marantz was already watching the female, which was actively calling while perched in a cypress tree. After a few minutes, it flew into the campground, where we later observed it in flight while it continued to call.Photo."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 09:07 by Steven McMasters
- 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/S402604378 - Comments: "Large finch seen flying between trees with a large group of other birders. The white "ovals" under the wing were seen clearly as it flew directly overhead. Vocalizations heard later in the same area."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 08:28 by Tom Schilling
- 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/S402569061 - Comments: "Female seen briefly perched on the large feeding tree and then flew up into brush on the hill. White on the underside of the wings seen clearly. Confirmed by photos by Ann Stockert."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 08:28 by Kyle Rundel 🐦⬛
- 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/S402627314 - Comments: "Female seen briefly perched on the large feeding tree and then flew up into brush on the hill. White on the underside of the wings seen clearly. Confirmed by photos by Ann Stockert."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 08:28 by Thatcher Martin
- 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/S402635981 - Comments: "Female seen briefly perched on the large feeding tree and then flew up into brush on the hill. White on the underside of the wings seen clearly. Confirmed by photos by Ann Stockert."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 08:11 by Michael Moss
- 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/S402643054 - Comments: "Continuing, I think with a pair being seen yesterday, but I only saw the female visible white wing patches big beak, grayish appearance with yellow underwing coverts was found and initially pointed out by Ann Stockton flew from a tree perched across from campsite 18 briefly then flew from that perch off to the adjacent north facing hill periodic calls heard single note call no picture"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:47 by Reef Comer
- 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/S402664233 - Comments: "Female or possibly HY male heard, then briefly seen flying around campsite 18. Lost behind tree, but a couple people said they continued to hear it go uphill. Giving characteristic high, clear, ringing teew calls in flight. Seen just long enough to tell it was a massive, mostly gray finch with conspicuous white wing patches, and huge, pale bill. No sign of the adult male. Hopefully a flock turns up somewhere!"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:29 by Ann Stockert
- 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/S402645770 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Seen fly from the amphitheater Cypress into the pine across from site #19, and then flew up the hill and dove into the Coffeeberry bushes. Possible HY male according to another birder due to: …”underparts and head are mostly brown, and the yellow forehead/eyestripe doesn’t look well developed. The tail should be all dark on an AHY male, this bird clearly has some white in the tail based on the second photo.” Photos"
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 06:54 by The Spotting Twohees
- 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/S402566125 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing. Seen about 7:15. Solo female in dying pine across from site 18 near firewood sales shack. Large finch with large, all light colored bill. Grayish head with no marking or lines. Paler even colored breast. Black leading edge of wings. Flew off to the back of the campground."
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 10:20 by Petra Clayton
- 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/S402382204 - Media: 12 Photos
- Comments: "First-ever eBird report of this species at this eBird hotspot.
Jack first spotted the male at 12:36 p.m. in the lace-lichen-covered tall bare tree across from campsite #19, behind the second wood shed. Then Kevin Zimmer discovered the female in the tall bare tree next to campsite #8. It flew across the road into the willows. At 1:25 p.m. both, male and female were re-found foraging for quite some time in the tall lace-lichen-covered tree at campsite #17 and then the male went back to the tree across from campsite #19.
Male: Black head and nape with a broad yellow stripe across the forehead (over the bill and the eyes); light colored heavy conical bill; neck, breast and belly appeared to be brownish; bright yellow under tail coverts; black wings with white patch; black tail; pinkish legs.
Female: Overall much drabber in color than the male; dark head; pale throat with prominent dark malar stripes; light colored heavy conical bill; light brown neck, breast, belly and flanks; white under tail coverts; black wings with white patch; black tail.
Click on the image below for a Flickr video, showing both, the male and the female:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jack-petra-clayton/55589648847/in/dateposted-public/" title="Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus), Montaña de Oro State Park, Los Osos, CA"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/55589648847_3a932a80ed.jpg" alt="Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus), Montaña de Oro State Park, Los Osos, CA" /></a>"
Evening Grosbeak (Northwestern or type 1) (Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:16 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/S402643286 - Media: 2 Audio
- Comments: "**Very rare, irruptive. One female heard initially then spotted foraging in the stand of small pines near the amphitheater here: (35.109070, -120.628337). Watched for about five minutes before it flew back out of sight into some pines further back before eventually flying off. Distinctive large stocky finch with very thick pale horn-colored bill, dark eyes, a grayish head, grayish back, yellow collar, buffy pale breast and belly, bright white undertail coverts, gray rump, largely grayish and white tertials and secondaries, black primaries with white edges and spots, black and white spotted tail, and dull flesh-colored legs and feet. This individual called frequently, giving a few burry chirps but mainly the typical piercing descending “tew” or “teer” calls. This bird sounded like H. v. brooksi (Type 1/Northwestern), and my recordings appear to support that. Photos and recordings tba."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (9) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 08:11 by Michael Moss
- 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/S402643054 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "I did see both male and female plumage, but seems like the males were more out in the open hanging out in the pine trees large head crossed tip of bills, dark wings pic tba"
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (7) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:29 by Ann Stockert
- 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/S402645770 - Media: 7 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing…both males and females. Males are dull red with dark wings and crossed bills. Females are greenish with dark wings and crossed bills. Photos"
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (5) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 10:20 by Petra Clayton
- 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/S402382204 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "At 2:18 p.m. a group of five were seen in flight in the area of the amphitheater heading east, including at least one red male: Red head, rump and underparts, dark wings, dark notched tail; bill with crossed tips."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:16 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/S402643286 - Comments: "*Rare, irruptive. I initially heard one crossbill while walking here: (35.107987, -120.627815), and looked up to see a male flying low and northbound right up in front of me. My view was brief but good, and I was able to see that this was a large reddish finch with a distinctive thick crossed dark bill, dark eye, and brownish red wings and short tail. I was not able to see much if at all of the legs and feet. The flight was fast and direct. The calls heard was a repeated “kip kip” vaguely similar to the introductory notes of wrentit song. Based on the length of time and how well I heard the calls I am pretty confident this bird was type 2, but without a recording to analyze I am hesitant to report it specifically as such. Unfortunately seen too briefly for photos."
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 14, 2026 07:10 by Russ Namitz
- Carrizo Plain NM--Quail Springs, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5548636&<ll...>,-119.5548636 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S402573555 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Namitz found a bird in adult-like plumage amid a medium-sized flock of sparrows about halfway out the trail to the spring. We then saw it on several occasions as it foraged amid the low shrubs, at least some of which were buckwheat, and perched in the junipers, but it never stayed in one place for juniper, so it was difficult to photograph and east to lose. In fact, I wondered if our multiple encounters of what would have seemed like a difficut-to-find bird meant that there was more than one individual, but we could never confirm this. I managed to see this bird reasonably well, and I took a few mediocre photos, but it was a bit difficult to see well before it disappeared. Despite the extended period of time that we spent checking the sparrows at the spring shortly later, we never saw this bird again. I never certainly heard this bird call.
This bird was conspicuously small relative to the White-crowned Sparrows with which it was associated, but its shape was not overly different. I noted a short bill that was conical and tapering from a base of medium depth to a pointed tip along what appeared to be a straight culmen. I further thought the bill was not much longer than it was deep at the base, and that overall, it was rather small for a sparrow. The crown appeared to be gently rounded and the head was of unremarkable size for a sparrow. The neck was short and inconspicuous, and the body, despite being rather small, was plump, full-chested, and with a posture that appeared to be about diagonal when the bird perched in the trees, but it hunched over while foraging in one of the small buckwheat plants. I am totally unable to recall seeing the wing structure, and even though I noted that the tail was quite long, slim, and parallel-sided, I cannot recall noting the length of the tail relative to the body or the shape at its tip. I also cannot recall anything about the legs or feet, which may nevertheless be shown in my admittedly rather poor photos.
This was a relatively well-marked bird with patterns that appeared to be typical of an adult, though I may not have seen the five details that could separate a first-winter bird from an adult. As far as I could determine, the forehead, crown, and auriculars were a dark gray to sooty-gray, and seemingly unmarked. Sharply demarcating the similarly colored cap and auriculars was a well-defined suprtcilium that was white and extending through the supraloral region, over the eye, and along the upper edge of the auriculars. The supercilium was narrow before the eye, but I also did not think it expanded much behind the eye. I thought the lores and the area below the eye we white black, but I also noted a white crescent below the eye that was demarcated below by blackish, but the auriculars appeared to be dark gray. The lower edge of the dark mask was further demarcated by a white submoustachial-stripe that was again narrow, but well-defined as it extended diagonally backward from the base of the bill to the outer corners of the black throat. Not only east the throat entirely black, but the black appeared to continue onto the upper breast before tapering to a point in the middle of the breast. Below the black on the throat and upper breast the lower breast, belly, and sides were whitish. I think the flanks were gray, but I cannot now be sure. Returning to the upperparts, I thought the darker gray cap and auriculars contrasted with a somewhat lighter shade of gray that covered at least the back and wings. I noted no obvious pattern on the upperparts, yet the back and closed wings had an uneven appearance that suggested there were darker centers that contrasted, albeit weakly with paler gray fringes to the coverts and remiges, but I did not notice in the field any obvious wingbars or other markings on the wings. I think the tail was dark, but I was unable to see sny more detail, and I never even saw any white on the outer rectrices."
Orange-crowned Warbler (sordida) (Leiothlypis celata sordida) (5)
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:16 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/S402643286 - Comments: "*Expected. E/c, with two birds seen moving widely around the native garden and peninsula, another on the Norswing drive trail north of the main entrance, and two more south of the main entrance. Very dull olive Orange-crowned with large bills, greener supralorals, variably greener upper and paler lower eye arcs, “large-headed” and “vested” appearance, diffusely but extensively streaked breast, and variably slightly brighter undertail coverts extensively streaked dusky olive. Several birds vocal giving deep metallic husky chip call typical of many individuals of this subspecies/type. Well aware that this subspecies now intergrades extensively with lutescens, but these individuals appeared to be straightforward sordidas, at least from a phenotypic point of view… Photos tba, see media notes for additional comments"
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) (1)
- Reported Oct 15, 2026 07:16 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/S402643286 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. One seen well actively foraging with a Yellow Warbler on both sides of the maintenance road here: (35.111731, -120.626842). This was a medium-sized Setophaga warbler that a stocky, stout, and mostly dark short bill, a dark eye, conspicuous white eyering, grayish face, light green cap and nape, pale throat, and pale grayish underparts with a slight greenish wash around the vent. The back was a light green color similar to the head and had very limited faint or no streaking. This bird had double wingbars that were washed pale yellow, and the wing coverts were otherwise dark with pale green, yellow, or grayish edges. Similarly, the tail was also dark and had pale edges. It was of medium length and frequently held slightly cocked in relation to the body. The underside of the tail was largely whitish with dark edges at the outer tips. This bird was vocal for a brief period, giving chip calls that sounded very similar to a (Northern) Yellow Warbler, but perhaps slightly sharper. Otherwise it was quiet. Photos"
***********
You received this message because you are subscribed to eBird's San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
eBird Alerts provide recent reports of regionally or seasonally rare species (Rarities Alerts) or species you have not yet observed (Needs Alerts) in your region of interest; both Accepted and Unreviewed observations are included. Some reports may be from private property or inaccessible to the general public. It is the responsibility of every eBirder to be aware of and respectful of access restrictions. For more information, see our Terms of Use: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/terms-of-use/
![https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/55589648847_3a932a80ed.jpg"](https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/55589648847_3a932a80ed.jpg"){kind=link}