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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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Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 15, 2025 13:50 by Terri Osborn
- San Luis Obispo Creek Lagoon, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7364416&<ll...>,-120.7364416 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209458688 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Seen with the Common Goldeneyes just downstream of the golf cart bridge. Similar to the Common Goldeneye but with a yellow bill with a dark base instead of the black bill with a yellow tip like the Common Goldeneye. Continuing bird found 1/13/2025 by Barry and Ginger Langdon-Lassagne. (Poor long distance photo from across the golf course)"
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 15, 2025 13:41 by Tom Edell
- San Luis Obispo Creek Lagoon, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7364416&<ll...>,-120.7364416 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209454356 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "continuing female in San Luis Obispo Creek lagoon spotted from the Avila Bay Drive Bridge. The lightening was not great, but compared to Common Goldeneyes, this bird had a smaller, mostly yellow bill with a black nail and a mottled dark base. The head peaked at the front of the crown which gave the impression of a forward lean as is swam. The dark brown color of the head abruptly ended at the bottom of the neck and the breast and body were mostly gray. My photos gave the impression of barring on the sides. I never saw the upper wing coverts. Photos"
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) (1)
- Reported Jan 15, 2025 12:01 by Roger Hammer
- San Luis Obispo Creek Lagoon, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7364416&<ll...>,-120.7364416 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209512146 - Comments: "cont bird seen in flock of COGOs, pics didn't turn out again due to -5 aperture setting (fixed now); found at three (from beach side trail 80 yds from bridge; from golf course bridge; from Mulligans trail above on opposite side of ck) different vantage pts, all bad as sun was mostly overhead and lighting birds w lots of shadows. had views thru binocs of a bird w/ definitely more yellow on bill and looked shorter; it sometimes appeared larger than other f and sometimes didn't."
Swimming, preening and occasionally diving down-creek from the last golf cart bridge in the company of five female-plumaged Common Goldeneyes and some American Coots. - She appeared larger than the Common Goldeneyes, probably because the neck was mostly stretched and the head was shaped differently. --- Another difference was the yellow bill with a dark base and a black tip whereas most of the Common Goldeneyes had dark bills with a yellow tip. --- Head and neck were chocolate brown with a white band at the end of the stretched neck. The head appeared larger because of the feathering at the back of the head and the peaked front-crown, giving it a steep-forehead-look. The crown was slicked back when she was ready to dive.
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 15, 2025 07:18 by Herb Elliott
- San Luis Obispo Creek Lagoon, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.7364416&<ll...>,-120.7364416 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209448109 - Media: 6 Photos
- Comments: "… continuing at location previously reported; at the time of my viewing the bird was associating with a flock of four Commons between the golf cart bridge and the creek mouth. Unlike the nearby Commons with a yellow band (a few with little to none visible) at the base end of bill, this bird’s bill had some dusky area at its base but was almost entirely mustard colored with a dark nail. First reported by Barry & Virginia Langdon-Lassange on 13 JAN 25."
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (2)
- Reported Jan 14, 2025 12:05 by Roger Hammer
- stakeout Sagebrush Sparrow -- Elkhorn/Simmler Rd Intersection (2025), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8400327&<ll...>,-119.8400327 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209458038 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "cont. looks similar to BESP but has weak/incomplete malar line; and back striping; photos rendered nearly useless due to camera setting phantom set 5 clicks underexposed-they are therefore heavily edited with lightening"
Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) (2)
- Reported Jan 14, 2025 12:05 by James Sparks
- stakeout Sagebrush Sparrow -- Elkhorn/Simmler Rd Intersection (2025), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.8400327&<ll...>,-119.8400327 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209522481 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "cont. looks similar to BESP but has weak/incomplete malar line; and back striping; photos rendered nearly useless due to camera setting phantom set 5 clicks underexposed-they are therefore heavily edited with lightening"
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 15, 2025 13:00 by Terri Osborn
- Cal Poly--Mt Bishop Road, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6777764&<ll...>,-120.6777764 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209458042 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Adult male with bright yellow head seen on a fence with a mixed flock of Red-winged Blackbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds, European Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds. (Poor long distance photo for ID.)"
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) (1)
- Reported Jan 16, 2025 14:00 by Van Pierszalowski
- San Simeon SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1235286&<ll...>,-121.1235286 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209562647 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Warbler behaving similarly to a nuthatch, foraging methodically along the trunks of several Arroyo Willow trees. Striking black and white plumage with a boldly striped head and a solid black cheek, identifying it as a male. Mostly white undertail was accented by black-spotted undertail coverts. Observed along the west side of Van Gordon Creek Road, just north of the creek, approximately here: (35.5950398, -121.1219937). Distinct individual from the bird I found at Santa Rosa Creek Mouth last weekend."
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) (1)
- Reported Jan 16, 2025 14:00 by Morro Bay Bird Festival
- San Simeon SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-121.1235286&<ll...>,-121.1235286 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S209563093 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Warbler behaving similarly to a nuthatch, foraging methodically along the trunks of several Arroyo Willow trees. Striking black and white plumage with a boldly striped head and a solid black cheek, identifying it as a male. Mostly white undertail was accented by black-spotted undertail coverts. Observed along the west side of Van Gordon Creek Road, just north of the creek, approximately here: (35.5950398, -121.1219937)."
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