Yellow-billed Loon – 12 May, very rare anytime, one was seen flying north past Point Piedras Blancas (RAR) Eared Grebe – late dates: 18 May, one was at Lopez Lake (AFS); 23 May, single basic and alternated plumage birds at OFL (MLS); 25 May, one was offshore of the Ragged Point Inn (AFS)

Western Grebe – 13 May, nest building continued at Whale Rock Reservoir (AFS) where 13 birds and one nest were observed on 28 May (TME)

Clark’s Grebe – 13 May, nest building was observed at Whale Rock Reservoir (AFS) where 14 birds and four nests were observed on 28 May (TME)

Black-footed Albatross – 17 and 19 May, single dark-rumped immature birds were off Point Piedras Blancas (RAR)

Pink-footed Shearwater – 12 May, “hundreds” were seen off Point Piedras Blancas (RAR)

Cattle Egret – late dates, 23 May, a bird with “buff on the nape and back” was at Cal Poly (DL); 29 May, another was north of Point Piedras Blancas at Arroyo del Corral (RAR)

White-faced Ibis – 19-29 May, two flew past Point Piedras Blancas and were later found at Arroyo del Corral with one there 24-29 May felt to be a new bird (RAR)

California Condor – 9 May, Condor B168 was back again, soaring above Hi Mountain Lookout for about 30 minutes. B168 had been observed at a cave entrance on the Huff's Hole cliffs below the lookout on April 6th, and since then traveled north and south between Ventana Wilderness Area near Big Sur and Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County (SCS)

Ross’s Goose – 8 May, last date for the three wintering at Oceano County Park (TME) Brant – 29 May, one was in San Luis Bay near the Cal Poly (Union Oil) Pier (JM)

Canada Goose – 2 May, someone reportedly took a photo of a family of Canada Geese, with goslings, on the water near the Morro Bay State Park Marina (SCS); however what became of the goslings is unknown as only two adults were reported thereafter (JLR)

Gadwall – 8 May, a high of 49 pair at Oso Flaco Lake was high for this preferred summer location (DL); 14 May, two ducklings there were the first for the spring/summer (MLS)

Blue-winged Teal – 3 May, a pair was on Oso Flaco Lake (MLS)

Northern Shoveler – 8 May, a late male and female were at Oso Flaco Lake (MLS)

White-winged Scoter – 25 May, a late first spring female was offshore of the Ragged Point Inn (AFS)

Northern Harrier – 22 May, a female was seen along Soda Lake Road south of Goodwin visitor center (TME); 23 May, a male was hunting near Valencia Peak in Montana de Oro State Park where this species is known to nest (JLR)

Sharp-shinned Hawk – 10 May, one over upper Deer Creek in NE Arroyo Grande was late (BKS)

Peregrine Falcon – 17 May, first of the four chicks at PPB fledged, with two more fledging on 19 May, and the fourth on 23 May (RAR)

Virginia Rail – 7 May, 5 seen along 4 miles of Cuyama River including one bird calling with it's wings puffed out and it's head low (distracting display?) suggested nesting nearby (BS)

Sora – 19 May, and adult at Oso Flaco Lake was not seen thereafter (MLS); it is unclear if this species nests along the coast of SLO County. I’d appreciate hearing of all summer sightings.

Black-necked Stilts – 5 May, five at the Cholame Valley Road "wetland" suggest the possibility of nesting (AFS)

American Avocet -- 5 May, 12 at the Cholame Valley Road "wetland" and 7 May, two at a pond along Hwy 58 on the Carrizo Plain also suggest nesting (AFS). There are few nesting records for this and the previous species.

Whimbrel – 5 May, rarely recorded inland, two were at the Cholame Valley Road "wetland" (AFS); 11 May, hundreds were observed flying north past Point Piedras Blancas (RAR)

Long-billed Curlew –5 and 11 May, flocks of 74 along Cholame Valley Road (AFS) and 55 along Belmont Trail, Carrizo Plain 11 May (DGH) were the latest reports.

Franklin’s Gull – 19 May, five first summer birds flew north past Point Piedras Blancas where two alternate plumaged adults were seen on 24 May (RAR)

Black Skimmer – 20 May, one was on Grassy Island in Morro Bay (JLR). This is the county’s first report of this species since 11 May 2003.

Xantus’s Murrelet – 12 May, at least two were seen flying past Point Piedras Blancas (RAR)

Long-eared Owl – 20 May, one was in juniper woodland on the SW side of the Carrizo Plain (BAB); 23 May, adults with two owlets were in the hills above the Goodwin Visitor Center on the Carrizo Plain (TME)

Black Swift – 8 May, two flew over upper Deer Canyon in northeast Arroyo Grande with nine seen there the morning of 9 May (BKS); 12-22 May, up to 30 were over Oso Flaco Lake (GPS,DL,MLS)

Lewis’s Woodpecker – 1 May, one was along Golden Hills Road in Paso Robles (RO); this species was recorded nesting in northeastern Paso Robles during the Breeding Bird Atlas Project.

Willow Flycatcher – 22 May, one was in the San Diego Creek riparian area along Hwy 58, with two there on 29 May (TME)

Purple Martin – 2 May, a pair found nesting in an Acorn Woodpecker granary tree along East Cuesta Ridge provided a new nesting location (JM,TBC)

Bank Swallow – 8-15 May, a rare spring migrant with one to three birds present at Oso Flaco Lake (TME,MLS,AFS,GPS,BAB)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 26 May, one seen at the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse provided the county’s latest spring record (RAR)

Le Conte's Thrasher – 7-29 May, a rarely reported resident in southeastern SLO County, surveys recorded 24 birds, many in apparent family groups, mostly in saltbush scrub habitat on the southern Carrizo Plain (AFS,TME)

Phainopepla – 25 May, one at Cal Poly was west of the Santa Lucia Range where it is rare (MDS)

Summer Tanager – 20 May, a singing 1st year male was on the Varian Ranch, AG (Pascal and Susan Grimaud)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 23-25 May, a singing male was at a feeder in Los Osos (AR,K&JH); 25 May, another singing male was along Orcutt Road in San Luis Obispo (KC)

Blue Grosbeak – 12 May, a first summer male and a female were at Laguna Lake (JM)

Yellow-headed Blackbird – 1 May, a rare spring migrant, 9 females at Oso Flaco Lake with a single male and female there on 7 May (MLS) and a male at the Foothill Blvd wetland on 14 May (GH) were the only reports

Great-tailed Grackle – 29 May, a female at San Simeon Creek Mouth was away from known breeding sites (RF)

Scotts Oriole – 7-9 May, at least 2 males were in the eastern Caliente Range foothills near Quail Springs (AFS); this species is only founding SLO County from hills east of Hwy 33 to Quail Springs.

Introduced/exotics:

Mute Swan – 10-11 May, four were seen in flight near Morro Rock (NS)

OBSERVERS: Bill A. Bouton, Karen Clarke, Travis B. Cooper, Tom M. Edell, Rosemary Flamion, Pascal and Susan Grimaud, Marlin D. Harms, Karen and Jim Havlena, Gordon Hensley, Dave Lawrence, Jennifer Moonjian, Regina Orr, Ann Richmond, John L. Roser, Richard A. Rowlett, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith, Bob Stafford, Nancy States, Mike D. Stiles, 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