Eureka! THE BIRDS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
– November-December 2009
The following are some of the
most interesting reports gleaned primarily from the Slocobirding listserv and
eBird. Abbreviations used below are:
CPNM = Carrizo Plain
National Monument; MBSP = Morro Bay
State Park; and PSBOC =
Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground.
WATERFOWL THRU SHEARWATERS: An immature
TUNDRA SWAN at Santa Margarita Lake on 14 Nov (DGS) provided the only report
for the period. Though expected
annually, EURASIAN WIGEON remains a rarity in the SLO County
where four males were reported on Morro Bay 20 Nov-20 Dec (WF). The lone report of a REDHEAD involved an
adult male photographed at Oso
Flaco Lake
22-26 Nov (MLS). The male HARLEQUIN DUCK
present since 10 Oct between Old Creek and Toro Creek continued through at
least 18 Dec (CAM). A male BLACK SCOTER was
offshore near Little Pico Creek 22-24 Nov (JSR). Casual away from the coast, a RED-THROATED
LOON was at Atascadero
Lake 9-13 Dec (RHZ). A first winter RED-NECKED GREBE frequented
the Morro Bay harbor mouth 10 Nov-10 Dec (MLS) and is probably still in that
area.
IBIS THRU SHOREBIRDS: One of the
more interesting reports was of an immature intermediate or dark morph
SWAINSON’S HAWK - presumably a late migrant - found along Hwy 58 near Branch Mountain Road
(TW,LA);
there are no previous Nov records for the county. Three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS photographed on the CPNM
1 Nov-31 Dec involved both an adult male and female and an immature bird
(MLS,AFS,RHZ). Unexpected along the
coast, a SANDHILL CRANE flying over the Foothill Blvd marsh toward the coast on 13
Dec (DGS) provided the county’s first coastal record in eleven years. In addition to the expected MOUNTAIN PLOVERS
on the CPNM, there was an intriguing report of this species along Bitterwater Road where
a flock of about 80 birds was 6-8 miles south of Hwy 46 (DR). A single LESSER YELLOWLEGS was seen mostly
during high tide periods in flooded mudflats off the MBSP Campground 7 Nov-19
Dec (KLP).
ALCIDS THRU WOODPECKERS: An after
hatching year PIGEON GUILLEMOT wintering in the Morro Bay Harbor mouth area 9
Nov-22 Dec (MLS) led to much discussion about it’s age; the bold white wing
panel indicated it was not a hatching year bird. MARBLED MURRELETS continued near San Simeon
where eight were seen from the pier on 3 Nov (AFS). An elusive WHITE-WINGED DOVE associating with
Eurasian Collared Doves around the 1700 block of 5th Street in Los
Osos 8-16 Dec (JC) is probably wintering in that vicinity. A female COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD present along 13th Street
in Los Osos for a while was last recorded on 16 Dec (MDS). The YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER found in a
pepper tree at Santa Rosa Park in SLO during the Christmas bird count (19 Dec)
was seen again on 22 Dec (CL). RED-NAPED
SAPSUCKERS were found in two locations with a male in the White Oak picnic area
at Santa Margarita Lake 14 Nov (DGS) and a hatching year male on a utility pole
along Hwy 58 at the Carrizo Plain School
on 15 Nov (TW,LA).
A male “Yellow-shafted” NORTHERN FLICKER was seen at the bay end of Nancy Street in
Cuesta-by-the-Sea 8-14 Dec (JSR).
SWALLOWS THRU SPARROWS: A single BARN
SWALLOW was seen over the Atascadero Wastewater Ponds on 1 Dec (MLS). Up to four PYGMY NUTHATCHES continued on
Black Hill in MBSP 6-19 Dec (MLS).
Sporadically found along the coast, a single MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was along
a ridge at Deer Canyon in Arroyo Grande on 16 Nov (BKS)
and up to nine were along Turri
Road in the vicinity of the summit 3-19 Dec (KLP). A wintering NASHVILLE WARBLER was found in a
willow patch along Los Olivos in Los Osos on 4 Dec (MLS) while a PALM WARBLER
discovered at Estero
Bluffs State
Park on 17 Nov (AFS) was presumed to be a late
migrant. Rare in western SLO County,
an adult Black-throated Sparrow was at a feeder in San Luis Obispo (EL). Two large-billed SAVANNAH SPARROWS were
banded adjacent to the MBSP Marina 5-16 Dec (RO) and after a three year
absence, two NELSON’S SPARROWS were found in the same location 7 Nov-19 Dec
(DGS). Red FOX SPARROWS (P. i. zaboria) returned to two
locations, one for its fourth year in Los Osos 25 Nov-19 Dec (MDS) and another
at a feeder in Arroyo Grande for its second year 10 Nov-31 Dec (BKS).
LONGSPURS THRU ORIOLES: A first winter
LAPLAND LONGSPUR found feeding along the shoreline at Estero Bluffs
State Park on 19 Nov
(MES) was the only longspur reported this fall.
A brilliant red male SUMMER TANAGER found by the Cal Poly library 5-20
Dec (KLP) is presumed to be the same bird seen later at the nearby Mustang Village in SLO. One of the rarest finds for the period was an
immature male SCARLET TANAGER photographed at PSBOC on 4 Nov (RHZ). Following up on above average numbers this
spring and fall, three ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were reported, a male at PSBOC
on 6 Nov (DK), and adult male at Camp
Keep in Montana de Oro
State Park 16-18 Nov (SCS), and a female at a feeder in Los Osos 23-26 Dec
(MDS). Even rarer in winter, a male
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was frequenting a feeder in Deer Canyon, Arroyo Grande
6-31 Dec (BKS). Another exciting find
was a first year male/adult female PAINTED BUNTING photographed in a yard in
SLO on 14 Nov (KH). A female BULLOCK’S
ORIOLE was found near Madonna and Oceanaire
Drive in San
Luis Obispo on 21 Dec (MPB); there were reportedly two
more orioles with this bird.
OBSERVERS:
Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Liga Auzins,
Mark P. Brown, Joyce Cory, Wes Fritz, Ken
Hillers, Dave Keeling, Ernie Lawrence, Cheryl
Lish, Curtis A. Marantz, Regena Orr, Kaaren L. Perry, Dave Richardson, Jim S. Royer, Alan F.
Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Steve C. Schubert, Maggie L. Smith, Mark E. Stacy, Mike D. Stiles, Doug G. Stinson, Tom
Wurster, Roger H. Zachary and mob = many observers. For information about birds mentioned in this
report, consult the Morro Coast Audubon publication “The Birds of San Luis
Obispo County, California” or contact Tom Edell at (805) 995-1691 or
tedell@aol.com….Tom Edell