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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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Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 15:36 by Yamina Pressler
- Bluff Trail--Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8948396&<ll...>,-120.8948396 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304429482 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "With Oystercatchers and black turnstones on exposed rocks on the point just south of Spooners Cover. I first noticed the bright yellow legs on this bird but it quickly dropped behind a rock before I could get my scope on it. I moved to get a better angle and eventually got a closer look and some poor photos. Grayish shorebird with white eye brow, yellow legs, and long straight bill reminiscent of a willet. Larger than nearby turnstones, smaller than nearby oystercatchers. Bobbing as it walked on rocks."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 14:55 by Mike Bush
- 1143 Pasadena Drive, Baywood-Los Osos, California, US (35.331, -120.843), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8431758&<ll...>,-120.8431758 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304397462 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Seen in profile on a narrow spit of mudflat in a rising tide (from -0.5') immediately to the south of the oyster farm.
They were sitting perched close to the mudflat on very short legs with a pronounced long orange bill with a longer lower mandible. Long tail swooping upwards. Not a large bird, appearing long and thin. All black, save for white below the bill on the face.
They flew off at 3pm. A quick scope scan did not refind them.
Photos later."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 14:37 by Jake Hager
- Morro Bay Estuary (use more specific location(s) when possible), San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8501072&<ll...>,-120.8501072 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304400620 - Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Two seen at close range from our skiff heading out from north/eastern oyster farm, resting on mudflats at lowtide. A third solitary bird was seen similarly resting, tho ~100 yards closer to the marina, as we made our way back to the harbor thru the channel."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 17:00 by Ann Stockert
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304435466 - Media: 5 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing since earlier today having been reported by Bob McCay. Watched for an hour as they skimmed and rested on the mudflats. Distant photos."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (3) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 16:45 by Terri Osborn
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304475472 - Media: 4 Photos
- Comments: "Initially watched one Black Skimmer foraging and skimming on the bay. The bird had a black back and black cap extending just below the eye, grayish nape, a white face, chin, chest and belly. The bill was large with the lower mandible longer than the upper mandible. Bill was orange at the base but black towards the tip. The long narrow wings were black above and white below with a white trailing edge. It had short reddish orange legs. It later was joined by 2 more Black Skimmers that foraged on the bay and at times landed on the mudflats with the first bird. Poor long distant photos."
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) (2) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 15:10 by Tom Edell
- Morro Bay SP--Natural History Museum, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8437825&<ll...>,-120.8437825 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304415818 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Two resting on the mudflat. These were distant birds and even with a scope fine details could not be discerned. Much smaller than nearby Double-crested Cormorants and closer in size to adjacent Marbled Godwits though with a completely different shape. The birds were black above and white below with long black wings that gave them an elongated look. The bills stood out because of their orangish color and dark tips. I could not make out the length difference of the two mandibles. They had black caps and white foreheads but I never could make out the hind neck color (white or black). The legs were short but too distant to make out the color. A distant photo was taken from natural history museum walkway, about 0.6 mile away."
Western Cattle-Egret (Ardea ibis) (4) CONFIRMED
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 09:21 by Nick & Jane
- Morro Bay SP--Marina/Boardwalk Trail, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8418006&<ll...>,-120.8418006 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304374251 - Media: 1 Video, 18 Photos
- Comments: "I had arrived hoping a cattle egret might be lingering from a nearby flock that had been spotted nearby a few days ago. While on the boardwalk headed west I examined an egret flock in the estuary weeds next to the big cyprus (or is it a monterey pine?) in the western end of the trail. I didn’t find one there at the moment, but then a flock flew down from the trees north of the kayak station (I’d planned to scan those trees since there were so many egrets in them). Anyway, two western cattle egrets were in the flock that descended from the trees. About fifteen minutes later the cattle egrets were joined by two others. A great egret snapped at one of them. Then all four cattle egrets flew to the top of the big tree where one perched close to a snowy egret. One cattle egret, perched alone, was easy to see, while the others were all partially hidden and sitting next to each other. At least one was a breeding adult. It had an orange-tipped red bill, reddish legs, and red lores/skin around the eyes, as well as a yellowy breast and crown. All were small and squat with thick legs and orange-to-reddish bills. Last observed at this hotspot on Feb. 26, 1982. Whoa. Photos and vid."
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) (1)
- Reported Feb 27, 2026 09:12 by Mark Donahue
- Meadow Park--San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6606531&<ll...>,-120.6606531 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S304619993 - Comments: "Heard, then observed momentarily at close range near the southern entrance to park. Could not photograph. The BWWA was with a small mixed flock and moving a lot on a breezy day."
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