---------------------------------------------
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.
eBird encourages safe, responsible birding. Some reports may be from private property. Respect access restrictions and follow the rules wherever you bird. For more information, visit the eBird and Merlin Community Guidelines: https://ebird.org/community-guidelines. Stay connected to the global birding community with eBird Updates: https://mailchi.mp/cornell/ebird-updates-sign-up-page.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 10:46 by Luisa Vollmer
- 1382 Nevada Avenue, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, US (34.727, -120.538) Vandenberg Dormitory, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.5377822&<ll...>,-120.5377822 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279915970 - Comments: "Feeding from flowers by dormitory building. Black and purple-blue chin, grayish body. Size is correct."
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 17:19 by Noah Gaines
- Lake Los Carneros Park, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.84975&<ll...>,-119.84975 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279972073 - Comments: "Directly across from the overflow. On the island. Brownish med sized heron with bold brown stripes. Yellow green legs and dark malar. White base below and brownish above."
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 11:12 by Max Breshears
- Santa Rosa Island--Historic Ranch Area, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.051646&<ll...>,-120.051646 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279971524 - Comments: "Female flying over ranch. **Edit post submission: Didn't realize how rare these were compared to Santa Cruz. Appears to be only the second island record (according to eBird). Cursing myself for not getting photos. Orange barring on the belly w/ white untacs. Dark gray above with rounded wings and tail. Larger size, flight style, and not squared off tail differentiated it from Sharp-shinned Hawk. Are these underreported here? It makes sense that they don't breed due to a lack of viable habitat, but surely there are dispersals from Santa Cruz and migrants."
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 08:59 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Barbara Channel--east channel (Santa Barbara County only), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5149421&<ll...>,-119.5149421 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279975929 - Comments: "*Rare, apparently. Seen flying against the cliffs just before switching lists. Large blueish-gray and white passerine with distinctive energetic flight with frequent glides, large heavy bill, and white bases to primaries creating white wing patch. Silent. Not seen well enough to age/sex. Didn’t get photos as didn’t realize it would trip the filter."
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 08:59 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Barbara Channel--east channel (Santa Barbara County only), Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5149421&<ll...>,-119.5149421 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279975929 - Comments: "*Rare, apparently. Heard and briefly seen flying away (towards the boat) from the canyon entrance/pier just before switching lists. Small sleek tan passerine with white outer tail feathers, undulated flight, and distinctive high-pitched pi-pit calls. Didn’t get photos, and didn’t realize it would be flagged."
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (2)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 09:23 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279979094 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. 2 presumably continuing birds together with mixed flock here: (34.048411, -119.559769). Buffy spizellas with pale lores, grayish napes, and brown crowns with median crown stripe. Pics."
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 12, 2025 09:36 by Nicholas Earnhart
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279983328 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "One here (34.0486659, -119.5567340) almost immediately upon arrival and another somewhat streaky hy bird here (34.0484173, -119.5598926). Photos of each"
Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 09:23 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279979094 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. Continuing bird seen flying around the harbor area. Spizella with brown crown not contrasting much with face and lacking median crown stripe, no grayish nape, pale lores, overall dirty brown coloration not as buffy as and less contrasty than CCSP. Unfortunately eluded pics."
Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Oct 12, 2025 09:36 by Nicholas Earnhart
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279983328 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Very possibly 3. One here w large flock (34.0483909, -119.5597870) and another here (34.0463735, -119.5668892). Photos of one possibly both"
Palm Warbler (Western) (Setophaga palmarum palmarum) (2)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 09:23 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279979094 - Comments: "*Rare but regular. One seen and heard very briefly here: (34.048295, -119.560000), and another here: (34.048471, -119.564472). Brown warblers with tan supercilium, yellow vent and undertail coverts, white spots in outer tail feathers, thick husky chip call, constant tail-bobbing, etc. Pics."
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) (1)
- Reported Oct 17, 2025 09:23 by Ann Stockert
- Santa Cruz Island--Scorpion Canyon Campgrounds, Santa Barbara, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-119.5645389&<ll...>,-119.5645389 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S279979094 - Comments: "**Very rare. KH only, second I’ve had this fall. Was attempting to record a calling raven when I picked up on a very distinct deep buzzing flight call that I instantly recognized as a Dickcissel. Unfortunately h/o, but giving typical deep harsh buzzy pzzzt Dickcissel flight calls somewhere along adjacent hillside from here: (34.048214, -119.558407). Calls deeper than BLGR and buntings, I’m intimately familiar with Dickcissel vocalizations and have recently heard one giving identical calls in MTY co. Should have some bad but suggestive/Identifiable recording that I’ll upload eventually."
***********
You received this message because you are subscribed to eBird's Santa Barbara County Rare Bird Alert
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/
