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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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Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 08:49 by Bob McCay
- Villa Creek--Estero Bluffs State Park, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.9688341&<ll...>,-120.9688341 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405646754 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Overall smaller than adjacent black bellies, smaller bill, golden wash on head and back. About halfway down the beach with several Black-bellied Plovers."
Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) (1)
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 08:11 by Maggie Smith
- Villa Creek--Estero Bluffs State Park, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.9688341&<ll...>,-120.9688341 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405648638 - Comments: "Saw this bird twice, but it flew before I could get a photo. Smaller and more delicate looking than Black-bellied Plovers it was with; smaller bill and longer legs and a golden wash on head and back."
Evening Grosbeak (Northwestern or type 1) (Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi) (2)
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 17:08 by Liam Hampl
- 410 Pecan St, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.596334&<ll...>,-120.596334 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405736052 - Comments: "**Very rare, irruptive. New yard bird! While waiting and hoping for the crossbills to loop back I heard a single grosbeak give sweet piercing “teer” calls; typical of Northwestern/Type 1. We continued to hear this bird call for ~1 minute before hearing this and a second bird call and presumably fly off not to be heard again. It sounded like they were calling from a street over (Beech street), but we were unable to locate them: H/o."
Evening Grosbeak (Northwestern or type 1) (Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi) (2)
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 17:08 by Kilian Hampl
- 410 Pecan St, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.596334&<ll...>,-120.596334 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405736051 - Comments: "**Very rare, irruptive. New yard bird! While waiting and hoping for the crossbills to loop back I heard a single grosbeak give sweet piercing “teer” calls; typical of Northwestern/Type 1. We continued to hear this bird call for ~1 minute before hearing this and a second bird call and presumably fly off not to be heard again. It sounded like they were calling from a street over (Beech street), but we were unable to locate them: H/o."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 17:08 by Liam Hampl
- 410 Pecan St, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.596334&<ll...>,-120.596334 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405736052 - Comments: "*Very rare, irruptive. New yard bird! Liam first picked up on these birds (~2) calling from inside. By the time we got outside to try to locate them these birds were long gone and we were just barely able to hear them flying off in the distance heading NNW. Flight calls were a repetitive “jip-jip-jip” vaguely similar to the introductory notes of a Wrentit song. It sounded to my ear like they were type 2 (which is what is irrupting all over the county and beyond right now), but I did not hear them exceptionally well and without a recording I hesitate to report them as such. Not seen."
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 17:08 by Kilian Hampl
- 410 Pecan St, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.596334&<ll...>,-120.596334 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405736051 - Comments: "*Very rare, irruptive. New yard bird! Liam first picked up on these birds (~2) calling from inside. By the time we got outside to try to locate them these birds were long gone and we were just barely able to hear them flying off in the distance heading NNW. Flight calls were a repetitive “jip-jip-jip” vaguely similar to the introductory notes of a Wrentit song. It sounded to my ear like they were type 2 (which is what is irrupting all over the county and beyond right now), but I did not hear them exceptionally well and without a recording I hesitate to report them as such. Not seen."
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 17:02 by Michael Moss
- 325 Binscarth Rd, Los Osos US-CA (35.3183,-120.8512), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.851157&<ll...>,-120.851157 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405726141 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing found by Jay Carroll small slender sparrow with mostly plain chest, buffy tones overall distinct lateral throat stripe, white median crown stripe, pale lores and pale eye ring, contrasting face pattern which separates it from Brewers sparrow pics tba"
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 08:10 by Jay Carroll
- 325 Binscarth Rd, Los Osos US-CA 35.31838, -120.85117, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.851172&<ll...>,-120.851172 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405644263 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Small sparrow with streaky brown and black upperparts, gray nape, contrasting brown cheek patch, and grayish median crown stripe; browner with more contrasting plumage than similar Brewer’s Sparrow, and no dark lores and eyeline as in Chipping Sparrow; the bird was coming to a residential backyard seed feeder; photos."
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 12:27 by Bode Breese
- Private property, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.653412&<ll...>,-120.653412 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405725906 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Single individual, mingling with Red Winged Blackbirds, Dark Eyed Juncos, and other similar species. Was foraging in hay leftovers from cows. (See Photo) Initially spotted on fencepost, moved to alternative fence post, around 12:25 AM on October 26, 2026. (See Photo) No vocalizations were observed due to noise from wind and call of nearby Red Wing Blackbirds. Exhibited a vibrant yellow head and white markings under the wings in flight."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 07:27 by Kilian Hampl
- Oso Flaco Lake (not for beach/ocean), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6207848&<ll...>,-120.6207848 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405662447 - Media: 7 Photos, 1 Audio
- Comments: "*Rare but regular. One bird heard initially chinking then located low down in the willows across from the entrance to the boardwalk here: (35.031189, -120.620457). This was a relatively large warbler with a long, mostly dark bill as well as a dark eye. The crown was a muddy brown color, as was the eye stripe, nape, back, and tail, the latter of which was also rather short. The long supercilium that extended past the eye, cheek, throat, breast, and underparts were all a pale buffy color, and all extensively streaked, though the throat and cheek more finely so. The legs and feet were a dull fleshy pink. The tail was bobbed incessantly. Photos and recordings tba."
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 07:27 by Ann Stockert
- Oso Flaco Lake (not for beach/ocean), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6207848&<ll...>,-120.6207848 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405723306 - Media: 7 Photos, 1 Audio
- Comments: "*Rare but regular. One bird heard initially chinking then located low down in the willows across from the entrance to the boardwalk here: (35.031189, -120.620457). This was a relatively large warbler with a long, mostly dark bill as well as a dark eye. The crown was a muddy brown color, as was the eye stripe, nape, back, and tail, the latter of which was also rather short. The long supercilium that extended past the eye, cheek, throat, breast, and underparts were all a pale buffy color, and all extensively streaked, though the throat and cheek more finely so. The legs and feet were a dull fleshy pink. The tail was bobbed incessantly. Photos and recordings tba."
Orange-crowned Warbler (Channel Is.) (Leiothlypis celata sordida) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 07:27 by Ann Stockert
- Oso Flaco Lake (not for beach/ocean), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6207848&<ll...>,-120.6207848 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405723306 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "*Expected. Two together with flock just past the entrance here: (35.029179, -120.617695). Large, very dull olive OCWAs with large, long bills, greener supralorals, variably greener upper and paler lower eye arcs, large-headed and faint vested appearance, diffusely streaked breast, and extensively olive-streaked undertail coverts. One bird heard giving the husky, low-pitched metallic chip calls of this subspecies/type. Aware that this subspecies now intergrade with lutescens in southern California, but these birds were straightforward sordidas, at least from a phenotypic point of view. Photos of one individual tba, see media notes for additional comments."
Orange-crowned Warbler (Channel Is.) (Leiothlypis celata sordida) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 26, 2026 07:27 by Kilian Hampl
- Oso Flaco Lake (not for beach/ocean), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6207848&<ll...>,-120.6207848 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S405662447 - Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "*Expected. Two together with flock just past the entrance here: (35.029179, -120.617695). Large, very dull olive OCWAs with large, long bills, greener supralorals, variably greener upper and paler lower eye arcs, large-headed and faint vested appearance, diffusely streaked breast, and extensively olive-streaked undertail coverts. One bird heard giving the husky, low-pitched metallic chip calls of this subspecies/type. Aware that this subspecies now intergrade with lutescens in southern California, but these birds were straightforward sordidas, at least from a phenotypic point of view. Photos of one individual tba, see media notes for additional comments."
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