October 2004

A seabird survey of Estero Bay on 29 Oct produced a single Flesh-footed Shearwater, 6-8 Buller's Shearwaters, and ~500 Black-vented Shearwaters (BKS).

Single Cattle Egrets were at the ponds just north of Cuesta on 7 Oct (MLS) and on Morro Bay on 12 Oct (JLR).

A sub-adult/adult California Condor was seen over Montana de Oro State Park on 28 Oct (SCS).

The adult and two immature Greater White-fronted Geese found in the horse pasture south of Arroyo Grande Creek in Oceano last month continued through 3 Oct (MLS).

A flock of 55 Canada Geese that flew over Morro Bay may have been winter arrivals (SCS).

The 60 Brant found on Morro Bay on 31 Oct (MLS) were the first of the season.

Wood Duck numbers have declined with only a male on the evaporation pond behind the San Simeon State Park Campground on 2 Oct (TME), a male and female on a Cal Poly pond on 31 Oct (MLS), and a few at the Atascadero waster water ponds (RHZ) reported during the period.

The first Eurasian Wigeon of the fall was a male seen on Morro Bay below the Elfin Forest on 12 Oct (JLR). Another seen there on 31 Oct may have been an American x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid. Its forehead was creamy colored, the head light rufous with a small patch of green behind the eye, and the back and sides were a combination of light gray and rufous cinnamon color (MLS).

Fifteen Canvasback at Oso Flaco Lake on 31 Oct (DML) were the season's first.

A male and female Greater Scaup were at Oceano County Park on 16 Oct (TME).

A flock of 900 Surf Scoter off the Morro Bay sandspit on 16 Oct (JLR) and a Bufflehead at Whale Rock Reservoir on 17 Oct (MLS) were the first fall arrivals.

The Common Merganser present at Oceano County Park since last fall has molted into adult male plumage (TME).

At least six Osprey were reported during the month with at least one around Oceano 2-30 Oct (mob), one around Morro Bay 10-29 Oct (mob), one at Oso Flaco Lake 10-13 Oct (MLS), and two over Hazard Canyon on 29 Oct (JLR).

Adult Bald Eagles near Harmony on 3 Oct (DB) and at Whale Rock Reservoir on 11 Oct (MLS) may have been the same individual.

A Merlin near Cuesta College on 17 Oct (Eric Weir) and a Prairie Falcon at Morro Bay on 1 Oct (RMR) were along the coast where they are rare.

An influx of immature Common Moorhens early in the month produced birds at Oso Flaco Lake 1-13 Oct (MLS), Santa Rosa Creek near Shamel Park 2-11 Oct (TME), Oceano County Park 4 Oct (MLS), and the Cuesta Ponds on 7 Oct (MLS).

A flock of 14 Red Knots was found on Morro Bay on 9 Oct (JSR).

The latest Baird's Sandpiper of the fall was at Whale Rock Reservoir on 9 Oct (TME).

Nine Pectoral Sandpipers were reported along the coast from Arroyo Laguna to the Morro Bay estuary between 2-15 Oct (mob).

A first winter Thayer's Gull at Oceano County Park on 30 Oct was the first of the season (TME).

A juvenile Sabine's Gull that flew over the Morro Bay estuary during the "Big Sit" event on 10 Oct was completely unexpected (SCS).

Six basic plumage Marbled Murrelets were off the mouth of San Simeon Creek 2-11 Oct (TME).

Single White-winged Doves were at Spooners Cove Campground on 3 Oct (CAM) and in Los Osos on 23 Oct (GPS).

A Long-eared Owl was present at a ranch house in the southern Carrizo Plain National Monument in mid-Oct and on 31 Oct (KS).

The female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that wintered last year in the pepper trees in front of the Cal Poly library returned on 27 Oct (MDS).

A female Red-naped Sapsucker was on the Chimineas Ranch in the western Caliente Range on 9 Oct (BS).

A Western Wood-Pewee at the Oceano campground on 5 Oct (AFS) and a Willow Flycatcher at the east end of the Lake Margarita on 2 Oct (AFS) were the latest reported.

Three Tropical Kingbirds was above average for fall with single birds at Arroyo Laguna on 11 Oct (JSR), Oso Flaco Lake on 12-14 Oct (SG), and Oceano County Park on 15-16 Oct (fide MT). Another Kingbird that flew by the Oceano campground on 10 Oct (RHZ) could not be identified to species.

A calling Cassin's Kingbird near the library at Cal Poly on 30 Oct (TME) was likely a returning wintering bird.

A very late Western Kingbird found at the Atascadero wastewater ponds on 3 Oct (RHZ) tied the county's late date.

Speaking of late, a Red-eyed Vireo along Coon Creek on 23 Oct was a bit tardy (JSR).

An undocumented report of a Yellow-green Vireo along Islay Creek in Spooners Cove Campground on 2 Oct (JSR) would be only the fourth county record if accepted by the California Bird Records Committee.

Five Common Ravens in Templeton on 30 Oct (JMC) were a bit west of their typical range.

An impromptu Winter Wren survey along Coon Creek on 27 Oct produced 8, but suggested many more are present (AFS).

Four Phainopeplas were feeding on elderberries at the Atascadero wastewater ponds on 3 Oct (RHZ).

A first fall Tennessee Warbler was along Santa Rosa Creek downstream of the Windsor Ave Bridge on 2 Oct (TME) and a first fall male Northern Parula was at Oceano Campground on 1-2 Oct (BKS).

Single Chestnut-sided Warblers were found at Oso Flaco Lake on 1-4 Oct (MT) and 18 Oct (MLS), the Oceano campground 7-16 Oct (JA), and along Santa Rosa Creek, 12 Oct (SG).

Single Blackburnian Warblers were at Oso Flaco Lake on 1 Oct, (MT) and in the Oceano campground, 12-13 Oct (SG).

Blackpoll Warblers at the Oceano campground on 5 Oct (AFS), 14 Oct (DML), and 28 Oct (JSR) may have been different birds; one was also seen at Spooners Cove Campground on 22-23 Oct (MT).

Four Black-and-white Warblers was about average for fall with one in the "Village" of Arroyo Grande on 5 Oct (DML), another at Oso Flaco Lake on 14-15 Oct (MT), and two at the Oceano campground on 16 Oct (TME).

Two American Redstarts, one at Oceano campground 10-21 Oct (RHZ) and another at Cook Creek (MT), and only two Palm Warblers, one at San Geronimo Creek on 8 Oct (BKS) and one at Arroyo Laguna on 11 Oct (JSR), were fewer than expected.

An immature male Canada Warbler at the Oceano campground on 15-16 Oct (MT) provided the 26th record for the county.

The Oceano Campground hosted a blotchy-red Summer Tanager on 1 Oct (BKS) and a female on 10 Oct (MLS).

A Green-tailed Towhee that was photographed at a feeder in Nipomo on 14-18 Oct (JA) provided the county's 12th record.

The only Clay-colored Sparrow reported this fall was one in Spooners Cove Campground on 10 Oct (AFS).

Two rare sparrows returned to the Morro Bay State Park marina spit with a "large-billed" Savannah Sparrow and a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow there on 15 Oct (GPS).

Other interesting sparrows were a Swamp Sparrow near the native plant garden at Spooners Cove on 23 Oct (JSR) and an adult White-throated Sparrow at a feeder in Los Oso, 28 Oct (MDS).

An immature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was along Santa Rosa Creek upstream of Shamel Park on 2 Oct (Karen Clarke).

Single first year male Hooded Orioles at a feeder in Cayucos on 2 and 19 Oct (TME) were likely the same bird.

Pine Siskins are showing up through out the county this fall from the coast to the Carrizo Plain; three at a feeder at Hi Mountain on 2 Oct (AFS) were the first of the fall.

Exotic/Escapees Reported: A female East African Weaver of the genus Ploceus was in upper Deer Canyon in northeast Arroyo Grande on 2 Oct (BKS).

OBSERVERS: Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Jackie Allison, Jerry Ambrose, Doug Buckmaster, Karen Clarke, Tom M. Edell, Steve Glover, Dave M. Lawrence, Jim S. Royer, Ron M. Ruppert, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Steve C. Schubert, Kathy Sharum, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith, Bob Stafford, Mike D. Stiles, Mike Tyner, Eric Weir, and Roger H. Zachary. For information about birds or locations mentioned in this report, contact Tom Edell at (805) 995-1691 or tedell@aol.com….Tom Edell