Date: 9/5/26 9:40 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Virginia’s Warbler at Mile Square nature area continues
Virginia's Warbler continues in
Mile Square about here 33.726147, -117.940904. It was seen from the wooden bench with the shade cover at the SE of nature area. We hadn’t seen it for about an hour when it returned a few minutes ago. It flew off to the east. .
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 9/5/26 8:25 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: September 4, 2026
As a correction to last night, I have been informed that there *is* an
upcoming workshop (I neglected to check this week, although *last week*
nothing was there...😏). Sylvia Gallagher will run her Birds of Southern
California workshop from October 6 to December 17. Those interested in
enrolling in it can send in the reservation form, postmarked after
September 8, located here:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/events/birds-of-southern-california/.
In addition, a presumed MASKED BOOBY (based on perception of the bill color
on the adult bird) was video'd from a distance from the Newport Pier on
August 31.
On Fri, Sep 4, 2026, 9:52 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...> wrote:
>
>
>
> * California
>
> * Orange County
>
> * September 4, 2026
>
> * CAOC26.09.04
>
>
>
> This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local
> events summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
> capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
> species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
> <secretary...>
>
>
>
> BIRDS MENTIONED
>
>
>
> *PURPLE GALLINULE*
>
> American Oystercatcher
>
> Ruff
>
> Baird's Sandpipers
>
> Sabine's Gull
>
> Black Tern
>
> Arctic Tern
>
> Common Tern
>
> Leach's Storm-Petrel
>
> Townsend's Storm-Petrel
>
> Least Storm-Petrel
>
> Cocos Booby
>
> Neotropic Cormorant
>
> Little Blue Heron
>
> *GREATER PEWEE*
>
> Bank Swallow
>
> Black-throated Sparrow
>
> Yellow-headed Blackbird
>
> Northern Waterthrush
>
> Lucy's Warbler
>
> Virginia's Warbler
>
>
>
> A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* continued in Pond C of
> the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine through September 3,
> with currently no reports today.
>
> An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER continued to be reported at the Dana Point
> Harbor through August 29.
>
> The geriatric RUFF continued in the Upper Santa Ana River through August
> 31.
>
> Two BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were on the east side of Irvine Lake on August 30.
>
> Three SABINE'S GULLS were reported offshore on August 29.
>
> Up to two BLACK TERNS were present at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
> Huntington Beach through August 30.
>
> Two ARCTIC TERNS were offshore on August 29.
>
> COMMON TERNS were at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach
> and along the Newport Harbor jetty.
>
> A large number of LEACH'S STORM-PETRELS were offshore on August 29.
>
> Four TOWNSEND'S STORM-PETRELS offshore on August 29 were OC's third
> through sixth records since the first record only in 2022.
>
> Several LEAST STORM-PETRELS were offshore on August 29.
>
> A COCOS BOOBY was offshore on August 29, with another reported on
> September 3.
>
> NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
> well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
> Sanctuary in Irvine. A bird photographed at Upper Oso Reservoir in Mission
> Viejo on August 30 was a first for this part of Orange County.
>
> A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
> Huntington Beach through September 2.
>
> A *GREATER PEWEE* at Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach on August
> 29 and the morning of August 30 was only the sixth record for Orange County.
>
> A BANK SWALLOW continued the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in
> Irvine through August 29, while another was at Arbor Park in Seal Beach
> from August 31 through September 3.
>
> A BLACK-THROATED SPARROW, which some say is the Best Sparrow, was just
> north of the camping area at Irvine Lake on August 30. Another was along
> the fenceline north of the baseball fields at University High School
> 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎👎👎 in Irvine on September 1 and 2.
>
> YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS continued on the Upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim
> through August 30.
>
> A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH presumably returned to Bartlett Park in Huntington
> Beach from September 1 to September 3, where it was found along the pond
> edge.
>
> A LUCY'S WARBLER was in the eucalyptus trees at the library at Huntington
> Central Park in Huntington Beach on September 4.
>
> A VIRGINIA'S WARBLER was in the Nature Area at Mile Square Regional Park
> in Fountain Valley on September 3 and 4.
>
>
> LOCAL EVENTS
>
>
>
> Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
> For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
> webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
> https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
>
>
>
>
> BIRDING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
>
>
>
> None upcoming.
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
>
>
>
> The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
> Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
> listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
> and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any
> supporting details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare
> sightings that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should
> also be emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>)
> separately for consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly
> report for North American Birds.
>
> Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
> that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
> on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
> Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
> contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
> that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
> annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
> may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
> occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
> included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
> or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
> to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
> sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
> guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
> chase after them.
>
> Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
> Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
> is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
> Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
> events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
> For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
> Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
> It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
> engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
>
Date: 9/4/26 9:52 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: September 4, 2026
* California
* Orange County
* September 4, 2026
* CAOC26.09.04
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
*PURPLE GALLINULE*
American Oystercatcher
Ruff
Baird's Sandpipers
Sabine's Gull
Black Tern
Arctic Tern
Common Tern
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Townsend's Storm-Petrel
Least Storm-Petrel
Cocos Booby
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
*GREATER PEWEE*
Bank Swallow
Black-throated Sparrow
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Northern Waterthrush
Lucy's Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* continued in Pond C of
the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine through September 3,
with currently no reports today.
An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER continued to be reported at the Dana Point Harbor
through August 29.
The geriatric RUFF continued in the Upper Santa Ana River through August 31.
Two BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were on the east side of Irvine Lake on August 30.
Three SABINE'S GULLS were reported offshore on August 29.
Up to two BLACK TERNS were present at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through August 30.
Two ARCTIC TERNS were offshore on August 29.
COMMON TERNS were at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach and
along the Newport Harbor jetty.
A large number of LEACH'S STORM-PETRELS were offshore on August 29.
Four TOWNSEND'S STORM-PETRELS offshore on August 29 were OC's third through
sixth records since the first record only in 2022.
Several LEAST STORM-PETRELS were offshore on August 29.
A COCOS BOOBY was offshore on August 29, with another reported on September
3.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine. A bird photographed at Upper Oso Reservoir in Mission
Viejo on August 30 was a first for this part of Orange County.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through September 2.
A *GREATER PEWEE* at Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach on August
29 and the morning of August 30 was only the sixth record for Orange County.
A BANK SWALLOW continued the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine through August 29, while another was at Arbor Park in Seal Beach
from August 31 through September 3.
A BLACK-THROATED SPARROW, which some say is the Best Sparrow, was just
north of the camping area at Irvine Lake on August 30. Another was along
the fenceline north of the baseball fields at University High School
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎👎👎 in Irvine on September 1 and 2.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS continued on the Upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim
through August 30.
A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH presumably returned to Bartlett Park in Huntington
Beach from September 1 to September 3, where it was found along the pond
edge.
A LUCY'S WARBLER was in the eucalyptus trees at the library at Huntington
Central Park in Huntington Beach on September 4.
A VIRGINIA'S WARBLER was in the Nature Area at Mile Square Regional Park in
Fountain Valley on September 3 and 4.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for
consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North
American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
Date: 9/4/26 8:22 am From: Thomas Wurster via groups.io <wurster...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Virginia’s Warbler at Mile Square Nature Area
Birders,
Virginia’s Warbler at east end of Nature Area at Mile Square Regional Park.moving thru shrubs and herbaceous vegetation along fenceline separating Nature Area from Camp Sycamore. Crosses fenceline into the camp as well.
Tom Wurster
Garden Grove
Date: 9/2/26 9:31 am From: Steve Neely via groups.io <itssteev...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Black-throated Sparrow on east side of Mason Park
The Black-throated Sparrow continues in the same general section of the eastern portion of Mason Regional Park, along the fence line with University High School. It was just seen with a flock of House Finches, in the vicinity of 33.65438, -117.82417 - near the baseball field.
> On Sep 1, 2026, at 12:03 PM, Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> wrote:
>
> This morning, Vincent Baker posted a BTSP on the east side of Mason Park. I followed up and was able to see it on the chain like fence near the coordinate said he gave. Here are mine 33.654480, -117.824421
> Accuracy: 19 ft
> This trail is an along the edge of University high school.
> Edana Salisbury
> Buena Park
> Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
>
>
> --
> Edana Salisbury
> Buena Park
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 9/1/26 12:03 pm From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Black-throated Sparrow on east side of Mason Park
This morning, Vincent Baker posted a BTSP on the east side of Mason Park. I followed up and was able to see it on the chain like fence near the coordinate said he gave. Here are mine 33.654480, -117.824421
Accuracy: 19 ft
This trail is an along the edge of University high school.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/31/26 4:49 pm From: Lam-Son Vinh via groups.io <lamson.vinh...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Another Car Break-in at Bolsa Chica PCH Parking Lot
My car was broken into this afternoon at Bolsa Chica yet again.
Beware of a guy sitting in an older blue Prius.
I did not see the actual act, but my lock was messed up by something like a screwdriver.
I didn't have any valuables in the car since this is the 6th time my poor Honda Civic was broken into at Bolsa Chica.
And no, I don't have a bumper sticker that says My Other Car is a Bentley!
--
Lam-Son Vinh
Huntington Beach, CA
Date: 8/31/26 4:09 pm From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
One is still here (or a new one?) after not being seen for a few days. Viewed from here, (33.8259097, -117.8713898) only steps from my car parked on Rio Vista. It was flying with some skimmers, Caspian and Forster’s Terns, and was last observed resting on the opposite shore.
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 28, 2026, at 6:58 AM, Kiandra Mitchell <kiandrasm...> wrote:
One Black Tern present this morning here (33.8245546, -117.8684890).
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 27, 2026, at 6:55 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
One of the Black Terns is still here, along with a surprisingly late Least Tern. Generally in the vicinity of the island, viewed by us from here (33.8247543, -117.8677446).
Kiandra Mitchell
On Aug 26, 2026, at 9:04 AM, Steve Neely <itssteev...> wrote:
At least one of the Black Terns continues flying over the main pond at the basin, frequently landing along the eastern shore with Black Skimmers and Caspian Terns - in the vicinity of 33.82476, -117.86804. Thank you Kiandra for the heads up!
On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:37 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Correction: TWO Black Terns are here at Anaheim Coves.
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
Extremely poor photos!
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
Haha, well to clarify, I meant that I was probably the last “OC birder” (if I still qualify) to look for the Purple Gallinule for the first time, not that I’m the last one to see it. It seemed pretty comfortable, so I hope it stays for a good long while and returns every year for the next 14 years just like the amazing Ruff of the Santa Ana River. I remember the first time I chased that Ruff – I was with the *original* OC Birder himself, Doug Willick. I hope you come back and visit soon Doug, and we can all have a little reunion party with the Ruff.
And also so you can be the last OC birder to look for the Purple Gallinule.
Cheers to all,
Linette Davenport
Now in Barstow, CA
From: <OrangeCountyBirding...> <OrangeCountyBirding...> On Behalf Of gbani1978 via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2026 4:36 PM
To: <OrangeCountyBirding...>
Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule Continues
Well Linette, you may have been the last person to go see the Purple Gallinule but I still haven’t seen it! Not that I wouldn’t LOVE to see it and add it to my OC list (a pretty nifty record for the county!), but being 1,335 miles away, and having them as fairly common summer residents as close as 150 to 200 miles away, I probably won’t make it out there. But that’s sure a real cool bird for y’all. I see lots of birders have gotten some great pics of the bird.
Anyway, using this as an excuse to say “hi” to Linette and all my other “old friends” from Orange County. I’m often envious at this time of year when I see the cooler temps in coastal SoCal, especially since it’s often hitting triple digits for a good portion of the summer here in the Texas Hill Country. But lately at least it sounds like Orange County hasn’t been all that much cooler than it is here. Hope things cool off soon!
Hope everyone’s doing well and enjoying the birds of Orange County.
Well Linette, you may have been the last person to go see the Purple Gallinule but I still haven’t seen it! Not that I wouldn’t LOVE to see it and add it to my OC list (a pretty nifty record for the county!), but being 1,335 miles away, and having them as fairly common summer residents as close as 150 to 200 miles away, I probably won’t make it out there. But that’s sure a real cool bird for y’all. I see lots of birders have gotten some great pics of the bird.
Anyway, using this as an excuse to say “hi” to Linette and all my other “old friends” from Orange County. I’m often envious at this time of year when I see the cooler temps in coastal SoCal, especially since it’s often hitting triple digits for a good portion of the summer here in the Texas Hill Country. But lately at least it sounds like Orange County hasn’t been all that much cooler than it is here. Hope things cool off soon!
Hope everyone’s doing well and enjoying the birds of Orange County.
Date: 8/30/26 2:53 pm From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK-THROATED SPARROW at Irvine Lake
Juvenile Black-throated Sparrow on the hillside below the camp, seen from around here 33.771399, -117.708862.
This is the same spot I had another juvenile last year in August.
Date: 8/30/26 9:50 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] BAIRD’S SANDPIPER at Irvine Lake
I imagine most people are at the Greater Pewee spot but there are two Baird’s Sandpipers ranging widely around the eastern section of Irvine Lake. They are sometimes with a peep flock and sometimes on their own, but always together. The heat shimmer is getting pretty bad but they vocalize every time they change locations which helps. The peep flock is quite skittish today with the presence of a Loggerhead Shrike and 4 American Kestrels.
Irvine Lake closes at 4:30 and no longer accepts OC Parks passes, as it was sold and is not part of OC Parks. It’s $5 to park.
Date: 8/30/26 7:22 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Greater Pewee continues at Huntington Central Park east
Spotted by David a few minutes ago in the same area as yesterday. 33.7045108, -118.0017317.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Today, August 29, Sea & Sage Audubon held their annual summer pelagic trip (a little bit later than usual) aboard the Ocean Institute's R/V Sea Explorer. From Dana Point, we visited the 279 Bank, Crespi Knoll, Lausen Sea Mount, and points in between. There was an incredible showing of storm-petrels on today's trip, such that we laid out fish oil slicks at all three sea mounts that we visited, and had a good showing of storm-petrels at each slick. We ended up seeing and getting good looks at five species of storm-petrels, including good numbers of Blacks and Leach's (mostly Chapman's types), and a minimum of 4 Townsend's, 3 Ashies, and 8 Leasts. Those numbers do not include an additional 20 or so white-rumped storm-petrels, likely Leach's or Townsend's. Aside from storm-petrels, there was decent diversity but low overall numbers of other seabirds, including Red Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Cassin's Auklet, Craveri's Murrelet, Sabine's Gull, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Pink-footed, Sooty, and Black-vented shearwaters, and Cocos Booby. An American-type oystercatcher was on the shore of the island in Dana Point Harbor. The non-bird highlight was an Oceanic Manta Ray at Lausen Sea Mount.
A preliminary eBird trip report is available here, subject to review of photos, etc: https://ebird.org/tripreport/565558 Tom BensonRedlands, CA
Date: 8/29/26 7:42 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Greater Pewee at Huntington Central Park East
Nice find, Edana. This represents the earliest record of a fall migrant in California. The previous earliest record was from Point Loma, San Diego County, on 2 September 2018. Edana's checklist is here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S388103805.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
On Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 07:05:47 PM PDT, <edanasal...> <edanasal...> wrote:
This morning, I saw a large big billed flycatcher at the end of the island near the bathing spot. After a review of all the photos and consultation, I believe it is a Greater Pewee.
I didn’t get coordinates at the time, but these may work - (33.7045108, -118.0017317)
I originally put my list out with the numerous photos under New World, flycatcher sp. I will change it soon so it will come out on the rare bird list.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/29/26 7:05 pm From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Greater Pewee at Huntington Central Park East
This morning, I saw a large big billed flycatcher at the end of the island near the bathing spot. After a review of all the photos and consultation, I believe it is a Greater Pewee.
I didn’t get coordinates at the time, but these may work - (33.7045108, -118.0017317)
I originally put my list out with the numerous photos under New World, flycatcher sp. I will change it soon so it will come out on the rare bird list.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/29/26 5:26 pm From: Aaron Jones via groups.io <atj0888...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Harriers at the old Marine Corps Air Base Tustin?
I am currently on Tustin Ranch Road overlooking the area described in my previous post of this thread.
I am counting at least nine White Tailed Kites. I really hope they don’t build over this place!
--
Aaron Jones,
Santa Ana.
Date: 8/29/26 11:39 am From: Trish G via groups.io <trishrg62...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Ruff Continues along Santa Ana River near Riverdale park
This morning I scoped this bird a bit downstream of the gate from the park that enters the river trail. Looking at a map, I would estimate I was adjacent to about the 5th or 6th house west of the park. Approx 33.853497, -117.821062 <https://maps.app.goo.gl/9ewKNxb42bZnKTVWA> The river has a row of vegetation growing right down the middle, and the bird was foraging on the other side of the vegetation, so a little challenging to see. Wandering around with a small group of Dowitchers, lots of yellowlegs, some smaller peeps and I briefly spied a Sora working the far edge as well.
With the humidity level, it was pretty uncomfortable to be out for long. Be safe. Hydrate. Good birding.
Date: 8/28/26 8:19 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 28, 2026
* California
* Orange County
* August 28, 2026
* CAOC26.08.28
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
White-winged Dove
*PURPLE GALLINULE*
Ruff
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Black Tern
Common Tern
Manx Shearwater
Masked Booby
Nazca Booby
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Bank Swallow
Yellow-headed Blackbird
American Redstart
Summer Tanager
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE was reported from the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine on August 24, while another was on the backside of the
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach on August 25.
A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* continued in Pond C of
the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine through August 28.
The antediluvian RUFF continued in the Upper Santa Ana River through August
28.
A SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was photographed on the Upper Santa Ana River in
Anaheim on August 24, just north of Burris Basin.
Up to two BLACK TERNS were present at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach from August 21 through August 28, while again up to two
Black Terns were present on the Upper Santa Ana River and Burris Basin in
Anaheim from August 21 through August 28.
COMMON TERNS were at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach
from August 22 through August 26.
Two MANX SHEARWATERS were reported offshore on August 27.
A MASKED BOOBY was perched on the Newport Pier for a brief period on August
26.
A NAZCA BOOBY was photographed offshore on August 27.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
well as at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through August 28.
Up to two BANK SWALLOWS were reported at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine through August 26.
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were reported from the Santa Ana River in Anaheim
on August 23 and August 26.
An AMERICAN REDSTART was reported from near the library parking lot at
Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach on August 22.
A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley
through August 23.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for
consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North
American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
In the backyard just now and I heard a bird call that I've never heard before. I opened the Merlin ap to see if it recognized the call and it came back with a Swinhoe's white-eye.
It was a large group that moved from tree to tree like bushtits do. Reading up on it, it appears to be "taking over California".
Date: 8/28/26 9:23 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] RUFF continues on Santa Ana River outside Riverdale Park
Just in case there’s someone from Mongolia, who has not seen the bird yet, it continues!
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/28/26 8:22 am From: Roger Schoedl via groups.io <rogerschoedl...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Black Terns
2 BLACK TERNS are flying around at Bolsa Chica this morning. They make infrequent passes down the flood channel but roam widely. A COMMON TERN is also present.
Date: 8/28/26 7:55 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Two Black Terns continue at Anaheim Coves.
33.825647, -117.867446
I had watched one on the shore for about 20 minutes when a second one flew in nearby.
FYI: I tried to use the original email that Kiandra sent this morning, but I was told that at least one address was not valid.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/28/26 6:58 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
One Black Tern present this morning here (33.8245546, -117.8684890).
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 27, 2026, at 6:55 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
One of the Black Terns is still here, along with a surprisingly late Least Tern. Generally in the vicinity of the island, viewed by us from here (33.8247543, -117.8677446).
Kiandra Mitchell
On Aug 26, 2026, at 9:04 AM, Steve Neely <itssteev...> wrote:
At least one of the Black Terns continues flying over the main pond at the basin, frequently landing along the eastern shore with Black Skimmers and Caspian Terns - in the vicinity of 33.82476, -117.86804. Thank you Kiandra for the heads up!
On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:37 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Correction: TWO Black Terns are here at Anaheim Coves.
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
Extremely poor photos!
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
Date: 8/27/26 6:55 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
One of the Black Terns is still here, along with a surprisingly late Least Tern. Generally in the vicinity of the island, viewed by us from here (33.8247543, -117.8677446).
Kiandra Mitchell
On Aug 26, 2026, at 9:04 AM, Steve Neely <itssteev...> wrote:
At least one of the Black Terns continues flying over the main pond at the basin, frequently landing along the eastern shore with Black Skimmers and Caspian Terns - in the vicinity of 33.82476, -117.86804. Thank you Kiandra for the heads up! On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:37 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Correction: TWO Black Terns are here at Anaheim Coves.
Kiandra Mitchell Buena Park
On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
Kiandra Mitchell Buena Park
On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home. I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again. Extremely poor photos! Edana Salisbury Buena Park Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
Date: 8/26/26 9:04 am From: Steve Neely via groups.io <itssteev...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
At least one of the Black Terns continues flying over the main pond at the basin, frequently landing along the eastern shore with Black Skimmers and Caspian Terns - in the vicinity of 33.82476, -117.86804. Thank you Kiandra for the heads up!
> On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:37 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>
> Correction: TWO Black Terns are here at Anaheim Coves.
>
> Kiandra Mitchell
> Buena Park
>
>> On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>>
>> Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
>>
>> Kiandra Mitchell
>> Buena Park
>>
>>>> On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
>>>
>>> Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
>>> I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
>>> Extremely poor photos!
>>> Edana Salisbury
>>> Buena Park
>>> Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
>>>
>>>>> On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
>>>>
>>>> Kiandra Mitchell
>>>> Buena Park
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 8/26/26 6:37 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
Correction: TWO Black Terns are here at Anaheim Coves.
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
> On Aug 26, 2026, at 6:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>
> Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
>
> Kiandra Mitchell
> Buena Park
>
>> On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
>>
>> Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
>> I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
>> Extremely poor photos!
>> Edana Salisbury
>> Buena Park
>> Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
>>
>>>> On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>>>
>>> A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
>>>
>>> Kiandra Mitchell
>>> Buena Park
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 8/26/26 6:34 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
Black Tern continues here (33.8243886, -117.8685453)
Kiandra Mitchell
Buena Park
> On Aug 25, 2026, at 2:18 PM, Edana Salisbury <edanasal...> wrote:
>
> Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
> I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
> Extremely poor photos!
> Edana Salisbury
> Buena Park
> Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
>
>> On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>>
>> A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
>>
>> Kiandra Mitchell
>> Buena Park
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
Date: 8/25/26 2:18 pm From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
Sorry!!! I was going to send out a message earlier, but the heat turned my phone off, and it didn’t “ rejoin the living” completely until I got home.
I saw the tern at around 10:14, right after I got to the entrance at Rio Vista and Ames and looked out over the basin. It went from north to south and looked like it was turning around to come back, but it circled and continued going south. I looked for it with others, assuming erroneously that it would be going up and down the basin. But I did not see it again.
Extremely poor photos!
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
> On Aug 25, 2026, at 7:34 AM, Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> wrote:
>
> A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
>
> Kiandra Mitchell
> Buena Park
>
>
>
>
Date: 8/25/26 7:34 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] BLACK TERN at Anaheim Coves
A Black Tern, likely a continuing bird found by J. Breckenridge last Friday, is cruising the west shore of the main basin of Anaheim Coves adjacent to Rio Vista. The only other terns I saw there today were Caspian, so it really stands out.
Date: 8/24/26 9:45 am From: Clark Snodgrass via groups.io <ccsnodgrass...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Black Headed Grosbeaks at HCP east island (photos)
Date: 8/23/26 11:57 am From: borodayko via groups.io <adboro...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule continues at San Joaquin
The Purple Gallinule displayed nicely in the southeast corner of Pond C at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctruary this morning (7:30 to 9:30 AM when I was there), Sunday. I posted a photo in the Shorebirds Album.
Date: 8/22/26 10:46 am From: Steve Neely via groups.io <itssteev...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Ruff Downstream From The Lincoln Avenue Bridge
For anyone following our returning Ruff, the bird has moved downstream - it was just with several Dowitchers and Yellowlegs a short distance south of the spillway downstream from the Lincoln Avenue bridge, in the vicinity of 33.83138, -117.86522.
Date: 8/22/26 8:11 am From: Jill Dale via groups.io <passthemayo2...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] MACGILLIVRaYS continues tip of island Huntington Central Park east
Date: 8/21/26 8:22 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 21, 2026
* California
* Orange County
* August 21, 2026
* CAOC26.08.21
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
White-winged Dove
*PURPLE GALLINULE*
American Oystercatcher
Ruff
Northern Fulmar
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Bank Swallow
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Green-tailed Towhee
Summer Tanager
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE was in residential Laguna Beach from August 15 to
August 20.
A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* continued in Pond C of
the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine through August 21.
An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER continued to be reported at Dana Point Harbor in
Dana Point through August 21.
The ancient RUFF continued in the Upper Santa Ana River through August 20.
A NORTHERN FULMAR was photographed offshore on August 20.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through August 21.
A BANK SWALLOW was apparently present at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine from August 15 through August 20.
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine on August 16.
A GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE was reported to be at Burris Basin and the Upper
Santa Ana River in Anaheim on August 21.
A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley
on August 19, while another was at the Turtle Rock Community Park in Irvine
on August 17.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for
consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North
American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
Date: 8/21/26 9:23 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule continues at San Joaquin
I haven’t seen that others have used this list serve to notify others, so I thought I would include that the bird is being seen again today in the northeast corner of Pond C at the marsh
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/21/26 6:59 am From: Kiandra Mitchell via groups.io <Kiandrasm...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Green-tailed Towhee and Solitary Sandpipers at upper Santa Ana River
I just had an adult Green-tailed Towhee and 3 Solitary Sandpipers between Taft and Lincoln, wandering around here (33.8284679, -117.8664039). The towhee took off into Burris Basin but the sandpipers continue.
Date: 8/19/26 9:19 am From: Steve Neely via groups.io <itssteev...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Solitary Sandpiper at San Joaquin Marsh
A Solitary Sandpiper is foraging now on Pond C at San Joaquin Marsh, in the vicinity of 33.66328, -117.84177 - not far from the continuing Purple Gallinule in its favorite spot near the northeast corner of the pond.
Date: 8/17/26 1:40 pm From: borodayko via groups.io <adboro...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule continues at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
I got some photos of the Purple Gallinule this morning, Monday, as well as the Wilson's Snipe at Pond C. I posted one of each in the Shorebirds photo Album.
Date: 8/17/26 9:58 am From: Evonne Muse via groups.io <evonnemuse...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule continues at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Purple Gallinule was out in the open in the WNW portion of Pond C
around 8 a.m. for several minutes, lots of good photos. Wilson's Snipe and
two Soras were in the low vegetation next to the bulrushes in the NE corner
of Pond C. Thank you Shirley and Edana for pointing me in the right
direction!
Evonne Muse
Corona del Mar
On Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 8:52 AM Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal=
<aol.com...> wrote:
> Shirley Reynolds saw the bird around 6:30ish in the NE corner of pond C.
> Around 7:30 it was on the west bank, heading for the NW corner. It
> disappeared, and others are looking.
> Edana Salisbury
> Buena Park
> Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
>
>
> --
> Edana Salisbury
> Buena Park
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 8/17/26 8:52 am From: Edana Salisbury via groups.io <edanasal...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule continues at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
Shirley Reynolds saw the bird around 6:30ish in the NE corner of pond C.
Around 7:30 it was on the west bank, heading for the NW corner. It disappeared, and others are looking.
Edana Salisbury
Buena Park
Sent from my iPhone and possibly autocorrected incorrectly ....
Date: 8/16/26 11:29 am From: David Ornellas via groups.io <davidornellas...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Bank swallow San Joaquin marsh
What looked really good in the field as a bank swallow is possible for a juvenile tree swallow once I looked through my photos at home. I have one photo that looks promising but still not 100% certain. Apologies
--
David Ornellas,
Costa Mesa, CA
Date: 8/16/26 9:44 am From: wagtail1997 via groups.io <orcorba...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Gallinule Present Sunday Aug. 16th: Video
The Purple Gallinule was still at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary this Sunday. It was very photogenic if you waited long enough for it to come out of dense vegetation. I have a short 4 minute video of my trip this morning at: https://youtu.be/xWQkNikiaO4 Joel Weintraub
Irvine, California
Date: 8/16/26 8:29 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule - SJWS
Based on eBird reports, the Purple Gallinule continues this morning again.
On Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 6:55 AM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...> wrote:
> Per Nick Thorpe, the Purple Gallinule continues this morning, August 15,
> on the west side of Pond C.
>
> On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 7:00 AM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...>
> wrote:
>
>> Loren Wright reports that the Purple Gallinule continues this morning in
>> the northeast corner of Pond C at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
>> Sanctuary in Irvine.
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 8:56 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> A juvenile Purple Gallinule was photographed on Pond C of the San
>>> Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine today, first in the morning
>>> around 9:30am and again in the evening around 5pm. If accepted by the CBRC
>>> this would be the first record for Orange County (and its 509th species)
>>> and the 8th for California.
>>>
>>
Date: 8/15/26 5:58 pm From: Linda Renna via groups.io <lrenna47...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule and Ruff
My husband and I took our 12-year-old granddaughter to look for the Purple Gallinule at the San Joaquin Marsh this morning. The Gallinule was in the reeds on the north side of Pond C and very difficult to see. But it finally popped out into the open. That was life bird 200 for our granddaughter. And a lifer for my husband and I. Then after a quick trip to Pond 1 for some pictures of the Black Skimmers we needed for a project, we drove up to Riverdale Park. The group of dowitchers were all resting with their beaks tucked in, making it impossible to find the Ruff at first. But then one of the birds started preening and every now and then the pink and black bill would appear. Not the best look, but close up photos are clear that the bird was the Ruff. Another lifer for the granddaughter.
I would like to thank Ryan for all the work he puts in on the Rare Bird Alert. I'm sure at times he feels like he's not appreciated. So, Ryan, thanks for what you do.
--
Linda Renna
Lake Forest, CA
Date: 8/15/26 5:57 pm From: Lisa Ruby via groups.io <lbruby1...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule update
The Purple Gallinule is currently out in the open at San Joaquin Marsh Pond C being viewed from about here:
33.66366,-117.84120
From what I have heard it's been all over the pond today. It often likes to stay buried in the clumps of low leafy green plants. I saw it earlier today in those plants around the bend to the left along with other birders. For now it's out.
Date: 8/15/26 6:55 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule - SJWS
Per Nick Thorpe, the Purple Gallinule continues this morning, August 15, on
the west side of Pond C.
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 7:00 AM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...> wrote:
> Loren Wright reports that the Purple Gallinule continues this morning in
> the northeast corner of Pond C at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
> Sanctuary in Irvine.
>
> On Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 8:56 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...>
> wrote:
>
>> A juvenile Purple Gallinule was photographed on Pond C of the San Joaquin
>> Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine today, first in the morning around
>> 9:30am and again in the evening around 5pm. If accepted by the CBRC this
>> would be the first record for Orange County (and its 509th species) and the
>> 8th for California.
>>
>
Date: 8/14/26 10:21 pm From: <tgmiko...> via groups.io <tgmiko...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 14, 2026
It put on quite a show in the late afternoon, actively feeding and walking
the edges of Pond C, and even flying about 30 feet. I think the key to this
bird is to look for it in the mornings and evenings (my first visit today
was in the late morning and I hung out for an hour and a half without
seeing it, so I came back tonight).
Thomas Geza Miko
Claremont CA 91711
909.241.3300
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026 at 6:56 PM Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Tom Wurster immediately pointed out to me that I had mistaken the dates on
> the gallinule, so for the record the bird was found yesterday, August 13,
> and continued today, August 14.
>
> Having said that, there is a bizarre lack of any posts about this first
> county record and rare California bird here on the listserv, on Discord,
> and in the WhatsApp group. I assume it continued all day today and may even
> still be strutting about right now to the delight of many birders, but I
> have no clue because nobody is posting about it. For people who could not
> make it today, I'm sure they would appreciate people sharing early tomorrow
> if it continues for day #3.
>
> On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 4:31 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...>
> wrote:
>
>> For those people still here....
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> * California
>>
>> * Orange County
>>
>> * August 14, 2026
>>
>> * CAOC26.08.14
>>
>>
>>
>> This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local
>> events summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
>> capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
>> species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
>> <secretary...>
>>
>>
>>
>> BIRDS MENTIONED
>>
>> *PURPLE GALLINULE*
>>
>> Ruff
>>
>> Northern Fulmar
>>
>> Neotropic Cormorant
>>
>> Little Blue Heron
>>
>> Brewer’s Sparrow
>>
>> Summer Tanager
>>
>>
>>
>> A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* (OC #509) was found in
>> Pond C of the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine on August
>> 14 and continued in the same pond on August 15.
>>
>>
>>
>> Presumably this same old RUFF has returned again for another summer and
>> has been seen in the Upper Santa Ana River in its usual spots since August
>> 7. If the same bird, which it seems extremely unlikely that it’s not the
>> exact same-looking bird returning to the exact same spot at the exact same
>> time of year every year, then it’s at least 14 years old now, having
>> already been in adult plumage when it first definitively showed up in 2013.
>>
>>
>>
>> A NORTHERN FULMAR was photographed offshore on August 8.
>>
>>
>>
>> NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
>> well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
>> Sanctuary in Irvine.
>>
>>
>>
>> A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
>> Huntington Beach through August 13.
>>
>>
>>
>> A BREWER’S SPARROW appears to have been photographed in La Bonita Park in
>> La Habra on August 12.
>>
>>
>>
>> A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain
>> Valley on August 9.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> LOCAL EVENTS
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
>> For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
>> webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
>> https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> BIRDING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> None upcoming.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ****************************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
>> Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
>> listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
>> and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any
>> supporting details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare
>> sightings that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should
>> also be emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>)
>> separately for consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly
>> report for North American Birds.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
>> that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
>> on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
>> Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
>> contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
>> that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
>> annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
>> may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
>> occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
>> included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
>> or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
>> to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
>> sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
>> guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
>> chase after them.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
>> Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage
>> Audubon is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife
>> Sanctuary in Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special
>> birding events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the
>> year. For the most current information please refer to the field trip list
>> on the Sea and Sage Audubon website at
>> https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/. It is also recommended that
>> you refer to that website immediately prior to engaging in any field trip
>> to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Ryan Winkleman
> Rancho Santa Margarita
>
>
>
Date: 8/14/26 8:49 pm From: Gisele Schoene via groups.io <giseleschoene...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 14, 2026
Birders,
The gallinule was present at 5:40 pm, NE corner pond C. Very cooperative, walking on the edge of the pond, great views.
Gisele Schoene
Costa Mesa
Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> ________________________________
From: <OrangeCountyBirding...> <OrangeCountyBirding...> on behalf of Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...>
Sent: Friday, 14 August 2026 18:56:31
To: Orangecountybirding <OrangeCountyBirding...>
Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 14, 2026
Tom Wurster immediately pointed out to me that I had mistaken the dates on the gallinule, so for the record the bird was found yesterday, August 13, and continued today, August 14.
Having said that, there is a bizarre lack of any posts about this first county record and rare California bird here on the listserv, on Discord, and in the WhatsApp group. I assume it continued all day today and may even still be strutting about right now to the delight of many birders, but I have no clue because nobody is posting about it. For people who could not make it today, I'm sure they would appreciate people sharing early tomorrow if it continues for day #3.
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at <secretary...><mailto:<secretary...>.
BIRDS MENTIONED
*PURPLE GALLINULE*
Ruff
Northern Fulmar
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Brewer’s Sparrow
Summer Tanager
A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* (OC #509) was found in Pond C of the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine on August 14 and continued in the same pond on August 15.
Presumably this same old RUFF has returned again for another summer and has been seen in the Upper Santa Ana River in its usual spots since August 7. If the same bird, which it seems extremely unlikely that it’s not the exact same-looking bird returning to the exact same spot at the exact same time of year every year, then it’s at least 14 years old now, having already been in adult plumage when it first definitively showed up in 2013.
A NORTHERN FULMAR was photographed offshore on August 8.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach through August 13.
A BREWER’S SPARROW appears to have been photographed in La Bonita Park in La Habra on August 12.
A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley on August 9.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email. For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the webpage on Sea and Sage’s website: https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...><mailto:<rswinkleman...>), and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...><mailto:<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds, or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year. For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/. It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
Date: 8/14/26 6:56 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 14, 2026
Tom Wurster immediately pointed out to me that I had mistaken the dates on
the gallinule, so for the record the bird was found yesterday, August 13,
and continued today, August 14.
Having said that, there is a bizarre lack of any posts about this first
county record and rare California bird here on the listserv, on Discord,
and in the WhatsApp group. I assume it continued all day today and may even
still be strutting about right now to the delight of many birders, but I
have no clue because nobody is posting about it. For people who could not
make it today, I'm sure they would appreciate people sharing early tomorrow
if it continues for day #3.
On Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 4:31 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...> wrote:
> For those people still here....
>
>
>
>
>
> * California
>
> * Orange County
>
> * August 14, 2026
>
> * CAOC26.08.14
>
>
>
> This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local
> events summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
> capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
> species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
> <secretary...>
>
>
>
> BIRDS MENTIONED
>
> *PURPLE GALLINULE*
>
> Ruff
>
> Northern Fulmar
>
> Neotropic Cormorant
>
> Little Blue Heron
>
> Brewer’s Sparrow
>
> Summer Tanager
>
>
>
> A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* (OC #509) was found in
> Pond C of the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine on August
> 14 and continued in the same pond on August 15.
>
>
>
> Presumably this same old RUFF has returned again for another summer and
> has been seen in the Upper Santa Ana River in its usual spots since August
> 7. If the same bird, which it seems extremely unlikely that it’s not the
> exact same-looking bird returning to the exact same spot at the exact same
> time of year every year, then it’s at least 14 years old now, having
> already been in adult plumage when it first definitively showed up in 2013.
>
>
>
> A NORTHERN FULMAR was photographed offshore on August 8.
>
>
>
> NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
> well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
> Sanctuary in Irvine.
>
>
>
> A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
> Huntington Beach through August 13.
>
>
>
> A BREWER’S SPARROW appears to have been photographed in La Bonita Park in
> La Habra on August 12.
>
>
>
> A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley
> on August 9.
>
>
>
>
>
> LOCAL EVENTS
>
>
>
>
>
> Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
> For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
> webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
> https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> BIRDING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
>
>
>
>
>
> None upcoming.
>
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
> The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
> Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
> listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
> and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any
> supporting details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare
> sightings that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should
> also be emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>)
> separately for consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly
> report for North American Birds.
>
>
>
>
>
> Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
> that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
> on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
> Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
> contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
> that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
> annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
> may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
> occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
> included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
> or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
> to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
> sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
> guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
> chase after them.
>
>
>
>
>
> Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
> Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
> is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
> Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
> events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
> For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
> Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
> It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
> engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
>
>
>
Date: 8/14/26 4:43 pm From: Aaron Jones via groups.io <atj0888...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Harriers at the old Marine Corps Air Base Tustin?
Good afternoon,
In the past couple of weeks on my commute along Edinger Avenue in Tustin, I have noticed what look like Northern Harriers hunting in the grassy area enclosed by Edinger Avenue, Jamboree Road, Moffett Drive, and Tustin Ranch Road. There are at least two, maybe 3.
I have been meaning to stop by (especially in the early-ish morning and the evening) somewhere and take a better look outside the car and with a pair of binoculars. They look like Northern Harriers (long tail, the wings, the low soaring), but they also hover like kestrels. Do Northern Harriers do this? I've not seen them beat their wings and hover in place like a kestrel, but I don't know of what other similar looking birds do this.
Has anyone observed this patch recently or have any other ideas on what birds, other than Northern Harrier (particularly if this behavour isn't a trait of theirs), they might be? If, and when, I get a chance to take a better look, I'll come back to this topic. I have driven past that patch so many times and there's been an interesting array of species, and I hope to make the most of it in the event it's to be built on.
Date: 8/14/26 4:31 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 14, 2026
For those people still here....
* California
* Orange County
* August 14, 2026
* CAOC26.08.14
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
*PURPLE GALLINULE*
Ruff
Northern Fulmar
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
Brewer’s Sparrow
Summer Tanager
A first-county record juvenile *PURPLE GALLINULE* (OC #509) was found in
Pond C of the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine on August
14 and continued in the same pond on August 15.
Presumably this same old RUFF has returned again for another summer and has
been seen in the Upper Santa Ana River in its usual spots since August 7.
If the same bird, which it seems extremely unlikely that it’s not the exact
same-looking bird returning to the exact same spot at the exact same time
of year every year, then it’s at least 14 years old now, having already
been in adult plumage when it first definitively showed up in 2013.
A NORTHERN FULMAR was photographed offshore on August 8.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
well as at Mason Regional Park and the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON continued at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in
Huntington Beach through August 13.
A BREWER’S SPARROW appears to have been photographed in La Bonita Park in
La Habra on August 12.
A SUMMER TANAGER continued at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley
on August 9.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for
consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North
American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
Date: 8/14/26 7:00 am From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule - SJWS
Loren Wright reports that the Purple Gallinule continues this morning in
the northeast corner of Pond C at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife
Sanctuary in Irvine.
On Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 8:56 PM Ryan Winkleman <rswinkleman...> wrote:
> A juvenile Purple Gallinule was photographed on Pond C of the San Joaquin
> Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine today, first in the morning around
> 9:30am and again in the evening around 5pm. If accepted by the CBRC this
> would be the first record for Orange County (and its 509th species) and the
> 8th for California.
>
Date: 8/13/26 8:56 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Purple Gallinule - SJWS
A juvenile Purple Gallinule was photographed on Pond C of the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine today, first in the morning around 9:30am and again in the evening around 5pm. If accepted by the CBRC this would be the first record for Orange County (and its 509th species) and the 8th for California.
Date: 8/8/26 7:57 am From: Steve Neely via groups.io <itssteev...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Ruff near Riverdale Park
Mavis has relocated the Ruff on the Upper Santa Ana River - across from Riverdale Park, just below the spillway, in the vicinity of 33.85466, -117.81967.
Date: 8/7/26 7:26 pm From: Ryan Winkleman via groups.io <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Orange County RBA: August 7, 2026
* California
* Orange County
* August 7, 2026
* CAOC26.08.07
This is the Orange County, CA weekly Rare Bird Alert (RBA) and local events
summary. California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) review species are
capitalized and marked with asterisks below. All documentation of review
species should be forwarded to the CBRC secretary, Tom Benson, at
<secretary...>
BIRDS MENTIONED
American Oystercatcher
Guadalupe Murrelet
Sabine’s Gull
Northern Fulmar
Manx Shearwater
Red-footed Booby
Cocos Booby
Masked Booby
Nazca Booby
Blue-footed Booby
Neotropic Cormorant
Little Blue Heron
An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER continued to be reported from the Dana Point
Harbor area in Dana Point this week.
A GUADALUPE MURRELET photographed offshore on August 1 was the first record
for Orange County (#508).
A SABINE’S GULL was photographed offshore on August 3.
NORTHERN FULMARS were photographed offshore on August 1 and August 4.
A MANX SHEARWATER was reported offshore on August 7.
A RED-FOOTED BOOBY was photographed offshore on August 1.
Multiple COCOS BOOBIES were observed offshore this week. Maybe they will
become resident on the oil rigs again? 😊
A MASKED BOOBY was reported offshore on August 3.
A NAZCA BOOBY was photographed offshore on August 2.
A BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY was offshore on August 3.
NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS continued on the upper Santa Ana River in Anaheim as
well as at Mason Regional Park in Irvine.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON was at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington
Beach from August 1 through August 6.
LOCAL EVENTS
Note: We will no longer be listing individual trips on this weekly email.
For a complete up-to-date list of current field trips, please visit the
webpage on Sea and Sage’s website:
https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
The Orange County RBA and events summary is produced weekly by Ryan
Winkleman. Sightings of rare birds can be posted to the OrangeCountyBirding
listserv, emailed directly to Ryan Winkleman (<rswinkleman...>),
and/or submitted to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Any supporting
details (descriptions, photos, audio recordings, etc.) of rare sightings
that are not already disclosed on the listserv or on eBird should also be
emailed to Samuel Bressler (<pacificgoldenplover...>) separately for
consideration to be mentioned in the current quarterly report for North
American Birds.
Those sightings that are included in this summary generally include those
that are considered rare (regionally or seasonally) for Orange County based
on "The Birds of Orange County: Status and Distribution" (Hamilton and
Willick), "Birds of Southern California" (Garrett and Dunn), and/or more
contemporary changes in local or regional status and distribution. Rarities
that regularly or seasonally occur at a particular location, such as
annually wintering rarities on Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, may or
may not be included in this digest, but reports of these same species
occurring at other, atypical locations throughout the county may be
included. We don't include hybrids, subspecies, introduced or exotic birds,
or in most cases and for no real reason, geese. All bird reports are vetted
to the extent possible prior to each publication, but in the interest of
sharing information, the accuracy of any given report cannot always be
guaranteed, nor can the presence of any given bird for those who choose to
chase after them.
Information on upcoming local events can be viewed on the Sea and Sage
Audubon website (http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/). Sea and Sage Audubon
is based out of the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in
Irvine. They sponsor a number of public field trips, special birding
events, conservation lectures, and social gatherings throughout the year.
For the most current information please refer to the field trip list on the
Sea and Sage Audubon website at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/field-trips/.
It is also recommended that you refer to that website immediately prior to
engaging in any field trip to confirm that trips are still occurring. #RBA
Date: 8/7/26 7:26 am From: Ed Stonick via groups.io <edstonick...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Pelagics on Rare Bird List
Greetings!Are any of the pelagics on the current rare bird eBird being seen from one of the whale-watching boats?If so, when do they go out, and what's the name and location of the boat line?Thanks!Ed Stonick Pasadena, CASent from my Galaxy
