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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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Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) (1)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 08:28 by Jessie Altstatt
- East of Main Ranch, Santa Cruz Island, California, US (33.992, -119.699), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.6994157&<ll...>,-119.6994157 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403625668 - Comments: "Clearly seen, striking large woodpecker greenish black back, pinkish red chest/underside. Flying east 50' above valley floor, towards Valley Peak."
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) (26) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 08:32 by Armando Aispuro
- La Cumbre Peak, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7147721&<ll...>,-119.7147721 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403513964 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Large black and gray jays with white vents. Occasionally making guttural sounds. Saw two flocks; one of six individuals at the very beginning of the checklist and one of around 20 at 9:30."
Swinhoe's White-eye (Zosterops simplex) (Exotic: Naturalized) (2)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 09:56 by Ryan Seppala
- Business Park at Mentor Dr. (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8124367&<ll...>,-119.8124367 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403575615 - Comments: "North lot, calling overhead and heading north. Raspy descending “teer” calls. I didn’t see them and thought there were probably more."
Cassin's Finch (Haemorhous cassinii) (16) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 08:32 by Armando Aispuro
- La Cumbre Peak, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7147721&<ll...>,-119.7147721 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403513964 - Media: 3 Photos, 1 Audio
- Comments: "One apparent flock was moving back and forth around the peak. When perched, the males showed a distinctive capped appearance, broad pale supercilium and nape, whitish malar and darker auricular- altogether giving them a patterned non-uniform face (relative to other expected Haemorhous finches). Occasionally gave feeble and sweet single or two note contact calls. See recording and distant photos."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (1)
- Reported Oct 19, 2026 06:48 by Craig Prater
- 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/S403723659 - Comments: "Tentative based on Merlin sound ID. West side of Devereaux Lagoon on trail to Dune Pond. I failed to save the audio so I am probably going to delete this in a couple days. Just leaving it up for now in case it helps anyone else find the bird if it's there."
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (1)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 11:17 by Mark Holmgren
- Girsh Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.873173&<ll...>,-119.873173 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403562166 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Spizella sparrow. The body lacked the reddish body tones found on many Chipping Sparrows and the line from the eye to the bill. The very mild breast streaks are leftover juv feathers. Buffy sides of the chest. Strong malar stripe. Large and only slightly interrupted gray nape. I never could see the rump. At 34.42549, -119.87292"
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) (1)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 15:40 by Jessie Altstatt
- NW of Christy, Santa Cruz Island, California, US (34.03, -119.871), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8712689&<ll...>,-119.8712689 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403622067 - Comments: "With flock of cowbirds. Glossy black with white wing patches, bright orange- yellow head, nape and breast. Gorgeous bird. Perched in fennel along road"
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2026 15:38 by Sam Eberhard
- Santa Cruz Island--Main Ranch, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.7196054&<ll...>,-119.7196054 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403522549 - Comments: "Perhaps continuing, I was able to see the distinctive tail pattern with outer rects fully yellow. That doesn’t rule out Baltimore, but I am fairly confident that I saw enough of the overall bird as it flew to rule that out."
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (1)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 09:56 by Ryan Seppala
- Business Park at Mentor Dr. (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8124367&<ll...>,-119.8124367 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403575615 - Comments: "This bird appeared to have paler underparts than the bird I had 2 weeks ago. Of note were a pale, extended supercilium, white undertail coverts, somewhat short stiff tail, and green wings /mantle. I could not obtain identifiable photos."
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) (1)
- Reported Oct 18, 2026 09:56 by Ryan Seppala
- Business Park at Mentor Dr. (restricted access), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8124367&<ll...>,-119.8124367 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S403575615 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Observed for about a minute in a central north lot tipu before I thought I saw it chased out by a Yellow-rumped Warbler. It was foraging in the mid-upper canopy. Similar in appearance to a Townsend’s Warbler, but with a bold black bib extending down part of the flanks, and much dimmer green on the auriculars. The chin itself was mostly pale. This individual appears to have less streaking on the hind flanks compared to the bird recently seen at Hollister tech park. No vocalizations were noted."
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/
