Eureka !

THE BIRDS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – February 2007

Extended Version

Snow Goose – 2-11 Feb, six were on Shepard's Reservoir at Cal Poly (MDS) and 1-28 Feb, the immature continued at the Cloisters Pond in Morro Bay (mob)

Ross's Goose – 4 Feb, an adult was at Arroyo Laguna (MLS); 1-28 Feb, adult continues at the Cloisters Pond (CWE); 5-28 Feb, the immature bird was at Oceano County Park (MLS); and 12 Feb, three continued at the Sea Pines Golf Course (TME)

Cackling Goose – 3 Feb, two were at the mouth of San Simeon Creek (MLS) and 5-28 Feb, an Aleutian race individual was at Oceano County Park (MLS)

Brant – 18 Feb, four were seen from the bluffs just south of the Arroyo de la Cruz Bridge (MLS)

Tundra Swan – 5 Feb, the immature bird found in Jan continues at Santa Margarita Lake (JSu)

Wood Duck – 10 Feb, 19 at the Atascadero Wastewater Treatment Plant (RHZ) was fewer than in recent winters; 18 Feb, a male was at Oceano County Park (MPB) ; 25 Feb, 12 were on the San Marcos Creek Pond along Chimney Rock Road and a male was at the pond adjacent to the Nacimiento Lake Road and Chimney Rock Road intersection (TME, MLS); and 25 Feb, a pair was on San Simeon Creek (JC, LT)

Mandarin Duck – 10 Feb, a male at the Atascadero Wastewater Treatment Plant was exhibiting aggressive behavior towards the male Wood Ducks (RHZ); possibly it had ideas of mating with the females.

Blue-winged Teal – 1-28 Feb, at least 50 are wintering on Morro Bay and are most often seen in Baywood Cove or at Sweet Springs Nature Preserve (TME)

Eurasian Wigeon – 1-28 Feb, a male was off the Elfin Forest overlook (mob)

Eurasian Green-winged Teal – 17-28 Feb, this rare Eurasian form was seen at Sweet Springs Nature Preserve (TK, photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedell .

White-winged Scoter – 1-28 Feb, males and females were offshore of the Northpoint Natural Area in north Morro Bay with a high count of 20 on 3 Feb (RHZ) and 7 Feb, a male was off the end of Marina Street on Morro Bay (CL)

Black Scoter – 3 Feb, a male was along Hwy 1 off the lone cypress tree vista point just north of Arroyo Laguna (MLS) and 1-28 Feb, a male was off the Northpoint Natural Area in north Morro Bay (MLS, TME)

Greater Scaup – 10 Feb, 10 were feeding along the east side of the Grassy Island mudflat on Morro Bay (TME) and 24 Feb, eight were at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Hooded Merganser – 3-24+ Feb, a high count of ten was recorded at Whale Rock Reservoir on 24 Feb (DV)

Common Merganser – 3-18 Feb, three female and three males were at Arroyo de La Cruz (MLS); 25 Feb, a male was at the pond adjacent to the Nacimiento Lake Road and Chimney Rock Road intersection, 2 males and 2 females were on the San Marcos Creek Pond along Chimney Rock Road (TME), and pairs were at the mouth of San Simeon Creek and Little Pico Creek (JC, LT)

American White Pelican – 25 Feb, two were on the San Marcos Creek Pond along Chimney Rock Road (TME)

Osprey – 3-18 Feb, the only report was of one was along the county's north coast at Arroyo de La Cruz (MLS)

Bald Eagle – 5 Feb, an adult was at Santa Margarita Lake (JSu) and Feb. 16, an immature was on a rock across Hwy 1 and seen flying overhead at Estero Bluffs in the area of fig tree parking area (JC)

Rough-legged Hawk – 1-28 Feb, one photographed along Cholame Road appeared to be an adult male (mob, photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedell )

Lesser Yellowlegs – 1 Feb, rare in winter, one was feeding with two Greater Yellowlegs along Cholame Road (MLS)

Thayer's Gull – 8 Feb, an adult and a first-winter bird were seen along Morro Strand State Beach (GWP) and 17 Feb, two first winter and one second winter birds were at the Santa Maria River Mouth (NL)

Herring Gull – 16 Feb, 19 (17 adults, one first-year, one second-year) at the mouth of Santa Rosa Creek was an above average count for anywhere in SLO County (TME)

Glaucous Gull – 9-18 Feb, a first-winter bird was at the mouth of Pismo Creek (MPB, photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670@N00/384975099/ )

Black-legged Kittiwake – 17-18 Feb, a first-winter bird was at the Santa Maria River Mouth (NL)

Pigeon Guillemot -- 3 Feb, the immature first found in Nov continued on Morro Bay near Morro Rock (GT)

Long-eared Owl – 23 Feb, 50+ in a roost on the Chimineas Ranch in the Caliente Range is the highest single location count for the county (BWS)

Allen's Hummingbird – 12 Feb, a displaying male at the Montana de Oro State Park horse camp provided the first report for the spring (TME) – anyone have an earlier date?

Lewis's Woodpecker – 21 Feb, one at Camp Roberts was in SLO County (JM)

Red-naped Sapsucker – 1-28 Feb, the male continued in the pepper trees in front of the Cal Poly library (MDS, MLS)

Eastern Phoebe – 2 Feb, the bird wintering at Cal Poly continued through the month (MDS)

Cassin's Kingbird – 4 Feb, 40+ were along Arroyo Grande Creek in the “Village” (RHZ)

Cliff Swallow – 17 Feb, two at the Bitterwater Road Bridge over Cholame Creek were the first of the year (MLS)

Barn Swallow – 15 Feb, two were seen at Oso Flaco Lake (MLS)

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 12 Feb, one heard calling and seen in flight on Black Hill in Morro Bay State Park provided the only report for the month (MLS, TME)

Mountain Bluebird – 14 Feb, four at Camp Roberts were in SLO County (JM)

Varied Thrush – 3-14 Feb, up to four were seen at C. W. Clarke Park in Shandon (TME, MLS) and 14 Feb, six were at the Cerro Alto Campground (MLS)

Sage Thrasher – 8 Feb, two at the Carrizo Plain, one on the Monument sign at the south end of Soda Lake and another 16 miles to the north (MLS) and 27 Feb, five were recorded between the north and south end of Soda Lake Road (AFS)

Le Conte's Thrasher – 8 Feb, two singing from 0830-0900 at Calf Shed Corral which is about 5.5 miles North of the SLO county border and across from Padronnes Spring Road (MLS)

Black-throated Gray Warbler – 6 Feb, a male was seen in the 500 block of Santa Ysabel in Los Osos (RA)

Grasshopper Sparrow – 17 Feb, one was along Bitterwater Road about 3 miles north of Hwy 58 (TK, photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedell )

White-throated Sparrow – 3 Feb, five were at the entrance parking lot on Cerro Alto Road ( VV) and 18 Feb, one was with under the eucalyptus across the road from the ranger residences at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (MLS)

Hooded Oriole – 26 Feb, one seen flying into the large eucalyptus near the ranger headquarters at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground was either a very early arrival or wintered locally (MLS)

OBSERVERS : Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Richard Allmann , Mark P. Brown, Joyce Cory, Chris W. Edell, Tom M. Edell , Tony Kurz, Nick Lethaby , Cheryl Lesinski , Jen Moonjian, Gary W. Potter, Alan F. Schmierer, Maggie L. Smith , Bob W. Stafford, Mike D. Stiles , Jan Surbey(JSu), Linda Tanner, Guy Tingos , Deb Villa, Vickie Vinke, Roger H. Zachary, and mob = many observers. For information about birds mentioned in this report, consult the Morro Coast Audubon publication “The Birds of San Luis Obispo County, California” or contact Tom Edell at (805) 995-1691 or tedell@aol.com…. Tom Edell