THE BIRDS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY - November/December 2004

Red-necked Grebe - Above average numbers this year. 7-8 Nov three off Shamel Park in Cambria (TME), 11 Dec one off Spooners Cove (MDS), and 18-20 Dec one near the Morro Bay SP Marina (AFS)

Black-vented Shearwater - Good numbers were present along the coast as indicated by the following counts: 19 Nov, ~40 off the Santa Maria River Mouth (MB), 26 Nov, 2-3000 off Montana de Oro SP (TME), and 13 Dec, 281 on Estero Bay (TME,BKS,BAB)

Flesh-footed Shearwater -- 13 Dec, one on Estero Bay provided the county's first December record (BKS) Pink-footed Shearwater -- 13 Dec, rare in winter, four were on Estero Bay (BKS)

California Condor - 17 Dec, adult was seen flying over west Cuesta Ridge (MT)

Greater White-fronted Goose - 8 Nov, one at Santa Rosa Creek (AFS); 20 Nov-18 Dec, one at Laguna Lake (DC, mob)

Snow Goose - 3 Nov, immature in a field south of Route 33 in the Cuyama Valley (AFS); 13-18 Dec, two on the Morro Bay Estuary (AFS); 16 Dec, one at Laguna Lake (AFS)

Ross's Goose - 8-18 Dec, 12 at the back of Laguna Lake (MDS)

Snow/Ross's Goose - 1 Dec, four white geese flew from the Cloisters Pond in Morro Bay (CE)

Cackling Goose - 3 Nov-18 Dec, up to six on Laguna Lake (TME,mob); 9 Nov, one at Pismo Creek mouth (BKS)

Eurasian Wigeon - 12 Nov-31 Dec, a high of two males was reported on Morro Bay (mob)

Blue-winged Teal - 20 Nov-31 Dec, a single male was on Morro Bay on the 20 Nov (DC) increased to 62 males and females on 29 Dec (BAB); 17 Dec, a male and female were on Oso Flaco Lake (JMC)

Green-winged Teal - 20 Dec, a Eurasian race male was photographed off the Audubon Overlook on Morro Bay (AFS)

Harlequin Duck - 28 Nov, adult male at the Estero Bluffs property north of Cayucos (TME) is presumed to be the same bird that wintered there last year, and may be the same male seen off Atascadero Point 21-24 Dec (BTM)

Black Scoter - 13 Nov-12 Dec, a female was off the Port San Luis Pier (TME); 21 Nov-24 Dec, one female was off Atascadero Point (north Morro Bay) with two on the later date (TME)

Long-tailed Duck - 11-19 Dec, one was off the Morro Bay Harbor mouth (fide BTM, JL)

Common Moorhen - 14 Nov, a juvenile was at the mouth of Arroyo Grande Creek (RHZ) Mountain Plover - 4 Nov, 104+ on the west side of Soda Lake Road along Simmler Road (AFS) with lesser numbers seen later in Nov and Dec (mob)

Wandering Tattler - 7 Nov, one at Montana de Oro SP (AFS) and another there 17 Dec (RF) were the only reports

Red Phalarope - 8 Nov, one on a sandy beach along the Estero bluffs (AFS) was the only report

Franklin's Gull - 12-21 Nov, a first winter bird was at Laguna Lake (MB) Thayer's Gull - 30 Nov-18 Dec, two first winter birds at Laguna Lake (TME); 9 Dec, a first winter bird at the mouth of Pismo Beach (BKS); and 12 Dec, one was seen at Spooners Cove (AFS)

Glaucous Gull - 9-27 Nov, a first winter bird was in Baywood Cove, Los Osos (LT)

Elegant Tern - late dates: 9 Dec, one at Pismo Creek (BKS); 12 Dec, one at Old Creek in Cayucos (TME)

Pigeon Guillemot - 18-28 Nov, two first winter birds inside the Morro Bay Harbor were late (MLS) Marbled Murrelet - 28 Nov, one flew by the Estero Bluffs (JSR); 4 Dec, one was off Spooner's Cove, Montana de Oro SP (TME); and 13 Dec, one offshore north of Cayucos (BKS)

Ancient Murrelet - 1-6 Dec, up to four were seen off Montana de Oro SP (MD, TME, AFS)

White-winged Dove - 12 Nov, one was on 5th Street in Los Osos (KAH)

Long-eared Owl - 1-2 Nov, two were at a ranch on the southern end of the Carrizo National Monument (KS) and on 1 Dec, 12 to 15 owls seen on the south Chimineas Ranch were most likely this species (DGH)

Broad-billed Hummingbird - 5-12 Nov, a male at a feeder in Arroyo Grande (CL) provided the 2nd county record.

Vaux's Swift - 10 Nov, a small, all dark swift seen over Cerro Alto Road was most likely this species (MDH)

Lewis's Woodpecker - 26 Nov-20 Dec, up to two were four miles out of Santa Margarita toward Pozo (DML)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 13 Nov-18 Dec, a female continued in front of the Cal Poly Library (mob); 18-20 Dec, a juvenile was found in an elm tree in Morro Bay (BKS)

Red-naped Sapsucker - 10-21 Dec, a male was at El Chorro Regional Park (TME); 18-19 Dec, a male was on the east side of Cerro San Luis above the south end of Hill Street (CL)

Northern Flicker - 8 Dec, a yellow-shafted race bird was on the Nipomo Mesa (MDS)

Eastern Phoebe - 3-24 Dec, one wintering at Camp San Luis Obispo (AFS) provided the 13th county record

Cassin's Kingbird - winter numbers continue to increase: 9 Nov-21 Dec, one was along Arroyo Grande Creek in the "Village" with 14 there on the later date (BKS); others were reported between 10 Nov-18 Dec at Montana de Oro SP (SCS), Los Oso (JSR), Cal Poly (MDS); Nipomo Mesa (MDS); and Camp San Luis (DR)

American Crow - 28 Nov, two flocks totaling 50 birds were in the Cuyama Valley where they are quite rare (DC)

Barn Swallow - single birds were over Oso Flaco Lake on 28 Nov (MLS) and 17 Dec (JMC)

Pygmy Nuthatches - 11 Dec, several were heard in the pines on Black Hill, Morro Bay SP (AFS)

Le Conte's Thrasher - 17 Nov, five were on the Carrizo Plain (AFS)

Nashville Warbler - 8 Dec, one at the Pismo Monarch Reserve (JL); 24 Dec, one at Oceano SP Campground (MM)

Hermit Warbler - 14-24 Dec, first fall male in the Oceano SP Campground (BKS)

Palm Warbler - 7 Nov, one was at the mouth of Cayucos Creek (TME) Vesper Sparrow - 8 Nov, rare on the coast, one was along the Estero Bluffs north of Cayucos (AFS)

Summer Tanager - 30 Nov-4 Dec, a female on Meadow Creek at the Pismo SB Monarch Grove (RHZ)

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow - 12 Nov-21 Dec, one was across from the Morro Bay SP Marina (mob)

Savannah Sparrow - 11 Nov-17 Dec, up to three "large-billed" types across from the Morro Bay SP Marina (mob)

Swamp Sparrow - 17-24 Dec, one near the start of the Oso Flaco Lake boardwalk (JMC)

White-throated Sparrow - six reported between 2 Nov and 21 Dec at Spooners Cove Campground (AFS), Atascadero (RHZ), Pismo Monarch Preserve (AFS), Arroyo Grande (MB), and Morro Bay SP (AFS)

White-Throated X Golden-Crowned Sparrow - 11 Nov+, bird that wintered in upper Deer Canyon last year returned (BKS)

White-crowned Sparrow - 13 Nov, partial albino at the San Simeon Cove picnic area returned for 2nd winter (RHZ) Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 6 Nov, male at a feeder off San Marcos Road San Miguel (DCol)

Black-headed Grosbeak - mid-Nov to 2 Dec, a late transient was at a feeder in Los Osos (LT)

Exotics/Escapees reported:

Mute Swan - 23 Nov, four on Atascadero Lake (MDH)

Ringed Turtle Dove - 7 Nov, one with about 15 Eurasian Collared Doves at the Cayucos Creek mouth (TME)

Nutmeg Mannikins - 14 Nov-18 Dec, up to 12 at the Audubon Overlook (BT)

OBSERVERS: Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Jackie Allison, Mick Bondello, Bill A. Bouton, Mark Brown, Jamie M. Chavez, Danielle Collins(DCol), Dave Compton, Mitch Dallas, Chris Edell, Tom M. Edell, Rosemary Flamion, Dave G. Hacker, Dave M. Lawrence, Cheryl Lish, Jim Lomax, Bob T. Maytum, Michael McQuerry, Dave Richardson, Jim S. Royer, Ron M. Ruppert, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Steve C. Schubert, Kathy Sharum, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith, Mike D. Stiles, Linda Tanner, Bonnie Thompson, Mike Tyner, Roger H. Zachary, and many observers (mob). For information about birds or locations mentioned in this report, contact Tom Edell at (805) 995-1691 or tedell@aol.com….Tom Edell