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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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Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:34 by Alex Harman
- Isla Vista Beach (between Devereux Beach and Goleta Point), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8624379&<ll...>,-119.8624379 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403096825 - Media: 10 Photos
- Comments: "Common? Smaller than adjacent FOTE with shorter legs and bill. More black on the head as well. On rocks at the end of Campus Point. Poor photos to come!
Edit: Based on external feedback, changing this to Arctic based on the short bill, short legs, and rounded head. I believe the lack of a bold, black carpal bar also favors Arctic."
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 10:37 by RJ Baltierra
- US (34.318, -119.757), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7565764&<ll...>,-119.7565764 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403251354 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Noticed small dark shearwater, where white extended up the sides rear of the wings towards the rump and started snapping some pics. The pics also reveal white extending past the feet and on the vent. Pics."
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 10:37 by Thomas Czubek
- US (34.318, -119.757), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7565764&<ll...>,-119.7565764 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403410306 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Noticed small dark shearwater, where white extended up the sides rear of the wings towards the rump and started snapping some pics. The pics also reveal white extending past the feet and on the vent. Pics."
Nazca Booby (Sula granti) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 12:40 by RJ Baltierra
- US (34.323, -119.801), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8013459&<ll...>,-119.8013459 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403251614 - Media: 7 Photos
- Comments: "Spotted by Tom, sort of just appeared to check us out from a distance before disappearing. Cool find, but I imagine this species has been quite numerous lately with the ongoing el nino. Adult, black and white sulid with pinkish-orange bill(at least it doesnt look yellow to me but maybe I am wrong). Pics"
Nazca Booby (Sula granti) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 12:40 by Thomas Czubek
- US (34.323, -119.801), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8013459&<ll...>,-119.8013459 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403410395 - Media: 7 Photos
- Comments: "Spotted by Tom, sort of just appeared to check us out from a distance before disappearing. Cool find, but I imagine this species has been quite numerous lately with the ongoing el nino. Adult, black and white sulid with pinkish-orange bill(at least it doesnt look yellow to me but maybe I am wrong). Pics"
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:00 by Chase Guida
- 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/S403120977 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Got poor photos. Distinctly paler head than Cassin’s kingbird, bill appears relatively long, relative to western kingbird. Pictured with phainopepla"
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:15 by Sarang Gopalakrishnan
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403130126 - Comments: "Seen and heard, twittering/trilling sound very unlike Cassin's, also yellow further up than Cassin's. Both my Merlin and another's ID'ed it immediately."
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:07 by Rachel Street
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403132922 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Large kingbird with large amounts of yellow up the breast to a narrow white throat. Seen fly catching at Whittier Pond"
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:07 by Tim Lister
- UCSB North Campus Open Space (formerly Ocean Meadows Golf Course), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8792197&<ll...>,-119.8792197 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403132921 - Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Large kingbird with large amounts of yellow up the breast to a narrow white throat. Seen fly catching at Whittier Pond"
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 11:51 by John Callender
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.875028&<ll...>,-119.875028 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403243032 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird on the baseball field 100 feet north of (34.425577,-119.873022). Feeding calmly, apparently, despite there being literally hundreds of children and parents throughout the park for youth soccer."
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 11:22 by Noah Gaines
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8747444&<ll...>,-119.8747444 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403138136 - Comments: "Cont. long primary primaries. Two wing bars. Chestnut edging to wings. Dark full auricular band/patch. Scaly back. Faint chestnut on side of neck. Partial malar stripe. Creamy below and behind auricular spot. Streaking on flanks. Right under wings. Mottled dark gray breast band."
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 10:05 by Craig Prater
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8747444&<ll...>,-119.8747444 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403124683 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing on eastern most baseball field where Alistair reported this morning. Good looks for several minutes before it got flushed by a soccer ball up into a sycamore tree to the south after which we lost it. Photos."
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 10:05 by Yvonne Degraw
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8747444&<ll...>,-119.8747444 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403124684 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing on eastern most baseball field where Alistair reported this morning. Good looks for several minutes before it got flushed by a soccer ball up into a sycamore tree to the south after which we lost it. Pbotos to be uploaded."
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 09:32 by Alistair Skinner
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8747444&<ll...>,-119.8747444 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403236440 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing found by the Hinkles yesterday. Sparrow like with large pale eyebrow, strong face marking, rich rufous wing feather edges. Foraging alone near west baseball diamond despite the rest of the park being very busy with youth soccer."
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:09 by Philip Zeng
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8747444&<ll...>,-119.8747444 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403128040 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing on the easternmost field, refound by Armando in the earlier morning. A long, chunky sparrow-like bird with a dark chocolate auricular patch and pale buffy supercilium. Mottled dark breast band and two white wing bars are distinctive."
Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 11:40 by Noah Gaines
- Cabrillo Business Park (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8606253&<ll...>,-119.8606253 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403143829 - Comments: "Grayish brown spizella. Much smaller than nearby WCSP. Creamy underneath. One white wing bar. Cap and nape are streaky and brown and only slightly darker than eye line and malar stripe which are similar color and darkness. Foraging with other sparrows in S E section of grassy field. Small sharp gray bill. Pinkish legs"
Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 08:20 by George Chapman
- Cabrillo Business Park (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8606253&<ll...>,-119.8606253 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403090072 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Smaller and paler than white crowned sparrows. Light line above and below eye. Gray patch through eye. Unmarked breast. Continuing as found the other day by"
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