February 2004

American Bittern – 5-23 Feb, up to three were present on Oso Flaco Lake (BKS,AFS)

Least Bittern – 21-27 Feb, very rare in SLO County, one was seen at Oso Flaco Lake (DS)

Greater White-fronted Goose – 6 Feb, five were at a pond on Cottontail Creek Road (MA)

Ross’s Goose – 3-29 Feb, 3 adults and 2 immatures were at Laguna Lake (RF); 8-14 Feb, the three at Oceano Lagoon continued (PR) with only one seen later; and 21 Feb, three first winter birds were on the Buckley Road Pond (AFS)

Wood Duck – 16 Feb, an incredible 132 were counted on the Atascadero Wastewater Ponds (RHZ) Eurasian Wigeon – 15 Feb, two were seen on Morro Bay from the north end of Pecho Rd (fide JSR)

Blue-winged Teal –14-24 Feb, up to 25 males with 5-6 females were west of the Baywood Pier (DL)

Harlequin Duck – 7-11 Feb, the wintering male was seen again north of Piedras Blancas Motel (MDS); 20 Feb, a female was observed below the Morro Bay Natural History Museum (FH); and 27 Feb, the male continued off the Estero Bluffs north of Cayucos (DT)

White-winged Scoter – 16 Feb, 10 males and 2 females off Morro Strand State Beach provided this year’s highest winter count (TME)

Black Scoter – 6 Feb, one male and two females were seen on San Luis Bay (Port San Luis) (MDS)

Greater Scaup – 22-28 Feb, up to 27 were counted on Whale Rock Reservoir (TME) Lesser Scaup – 28 Feb, twelve on Whale Rock Reservoir included a leucistic female (TME)

Hooded Mergansers – 16 Feb, a “pair” was in the pond along Buckley in SLO (AFS)

Common Merganser – 8 Feb, last date for the immature male wintering on the Oceano Lagoon (PR)

Red-breasted Merganser – 28 Feb, rare on freshwater, a female on Whale Rock Reservoir provided the first record for that location (TME)

Bald Eagle – 16 Feb, adult in one of the oak trees to the east of the Hwy 46 Shandon rest stop; 18 Feb, a likely 3rd year bird was one mile west of Bitterwater on Hwy 58 (MT)

Ferruginous Hawk – 18 Feb, dark morph bird was on Bitterwater Road (MT)

Red-tailed Hawk – 18 Feb, a dark morph bird was on Bitterwater Road (MT)

Mountain Plover – 15 Feb, “over 100” on the Carrizo Plain along Simmler Road near the water tank was a high count for the winter (JSR)

Bonaparte’s Gull – 23 Feb, numbers increased since December with 120+ at SLO Wastewater Plant (AFS)

Laughing Gull – 5-29 Feb, the adult found at Oceano County Park in January continued its stay (mob)

White-winged Dove – 7-14 Feb, one was at a feeder at 846 N. 2nd Street in Grover Beach (Carol Thrope)

Common Ground Dove – 8-14 Feb, up to three were recorded near 166 Dana Foothill Blvd, Nipomo (mob)

Northern Pygmy Owl – 11 Feb, three (one seen) were in Los Padres National Forest land above the Ragged Point Inn (TME,AFS); 16 Feb, one was heard calling along upper Morro Creek (TME)

Burrowing Owl – 29 Feb, two were seen off Sprague Hill Road on the Carrizo Plain (RHZ) Poorwill – 6 Feb, one was on a dirt driveway off Cottontail Creek Road (MA)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 8-29 Feb, juvenile female continued at Cal Poly Library (JSR)

Cassin’s Kingbird – 2 Feb, winter flock along Arroyo Grande Creek in the Village of Arroyo Grande topped out at an astounding 42 birds (BKS) with only ten remaining on 23 Feb; 12 Feb, one was in sycamore trees on Duncan Lane in San Luis Obispo (RF)

Tree Swallow – 9 Feb, nesting bird returned to a home in Los Osos (JLR) Cliff Swallow – 20 Feb, a “large flock” seen flying north along Morro Strand State Beach were early spring migrants (GSc); 22 Feb, one was at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME); and 23 Feb, six were at Oso Flaco Lake (AFS)

Barn Swallow – 22 Feb, 1-2 were on Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Sage Thrasher – 15 Feb, one was in a patch of scrub on Elkhorn Road just northwest of the intersection with Panorama (SM)

Nashville Warbler – 9 Feb, “adult female” at the Oceano Lagoon was likely the bird found in January (RF); 21 Feb, one was seen at Oso Flaco Lake (DS)

Black-throated Blue Warbler – 29 Feb, a well described male was along the entrance trail near the parking lot at Oso Flaco Lake (MSm)

Wilson's Warbler – 1-27 Feb, the male wintering at Oso Flaco Lake was singing on the 27th (DS,MDS)

Savannah Sparrow – 19 Feb, an unbanded large-billed race bird was the 6th one captured this winter on the Morro Bay State Park marina spit (GPS)

Swamp Sparrow – 22 Feb, one was in willows at Shark Inlet on Morro Bay (BAB)

White-throated Sparrow – 7 Feb, last date for the white-stripe bird coming to a feeder on 3rd Street in Los Osos (K&JH); 23- 29 Feb, first winter white-stripe form bird at a feeder in Cayucos (CE)

Dark-eyed Junco – 1 Feb, last date for the “Slate-colored” race bird was at the Hi Mtn Lookout (AFS) Tri-colored Blackbird – 29 Feb, a “large flock” was along Hwy 58 at Branch Mountain. Road (RHZ)

Great-tailed Grackle – 8 Feb, 93+ at Arroyo Grande Creek in Oceano provided a high count (BKS)

Hooded Oriole – 5 Feb, an immature male was seen in Shell Beach (BKS) Likely escapees: Mandarin Duck – 14 Feb, male on the ASTP (RHZ)

Ringed Turtle Dove – 16 Feb, pair of "pure" birds regularly at the nursery at the corner of Los Osos Valley Road and Pecho in Los Osos (AFS)

OBSERVERS: Mary Adams, Bill A. Bouton, Jamie M. Chavez, Chris Edell, Tom M. Edell, Rosemary Flamion, Freeman Hall, Karen and Jim Havlena, Dave Lawrence, Steve Miller, Paul Rosso, Jim S. Royer, Gene Schellenger(GSc), Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Greg P. Smith, Maggie Smith(MSm) Mike D. Stiles, Doug Stinson, Don Tate, Carol Thrope, Mike Tyner, and Roger H. Zachary. For information about birds or locations mentioned in this report, contact Tom Edell at (805) 995-1691 or tedell@aol.com….Tom Edell