Eureka !

THE BIRDS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – November/December 2006

Ross's Goose – small numbers of this species were also reported along the coast where an adult and immature were at the mouth of Santa Rosa Creek 14 Nov (KC) and an immature and an adult were at San Simeon Creek 20-22 Nov (TME) , three immature birds were at the Sea Pines Golf Course 5-16 Dec (AFS), one at Oceano County 13-31 Dec (MPB) , and an immature was off the Elfin Forest 14 Dec (CAM)

Cackling Goose – only two of the 17 reported stayed to winter locally and most of these birds were believed to pertain to the smaller subspecies minima and leucopareia : 2-3 Nov, two at the mouth of San Simeon Creek (MLS); 4-13 Nov, one to four at Laguna Lake (JSR); 15 Nov, five at the Oceano Stables (BKS); 20 Nov, one at the mouth of Arroyo Grande Creek (BKS); 20 Nov, one at Oceano County Park (BKS); 21-29 Nov, one at San Luis Creek in Avila (MLS) ; 8 Dec, one at Laguna Lake (TME); 14-31 Dec, one on the Dairy Creek golf course (DR); and 19-31 Dec, one at Oceano County Park (MLS)

Wood Duck – 13-20 Nov, up to two males and a female were at the mouth of San Simeon Creek (RHZ), 22 Nov, six were at the Atascadero Wastewater Treatment Ponds (RHZ), and 16-26 Dec, a female was at Cal Poly (MLS)

Gadwall – 20 Nov, an estimated 250 at the mouth of Arroyo Grande Creek (BKS) was the highest concentration ever noted in the county

Redhead – 18 Nov, always rare in SLO County , a male and two females were at Santa Margarita Lake (DGS)

Harlequin Duck – the male found off the Northpoint Natural Area (north Morro Bay ) in Oct was present to 4 Nov (TME)

White-winged Scoter – 3 Nov-31 Dec, at least one female and two males were off Northpoint (MLS, mob). In addition an immature male was in the Port San Luis Harbor 29 Nov (BKS) , two males and a female were off the Morro Bay Sandspit 4 Dec (TME), and 6 Dec, a female was on Morro Bay between the sandspit and the Coast Guard pier (MLS)

Black Scoter – 4 Nov, a female was off the Northpoint Natural Area in north Morro Bay (TME) with up to two females and a first winter male there 23-28 Dec (RHZ)

Long-tailed Duck – 13 Nov, a female south of the San Simeon Pier provided the only report (RHZ)

Hooded Merganser – eighteen reported during the month included a male in saltwater (where unexpected) on Morro Bay across from Anchor Memorial Park on 9 Nov (MLS) and 12 at Lopez Lake on 13 Dec (MPB)

Horned Grebe – 22 Nov, one was inland (where rare) at the Atascadero Wastewater Treatment Ponds (RHZ)

Red-necked Grebe – first winter birds were on Morro Bay 23 Nov-28 Dec (TME) and at Port San Luis on 4 Dec (BKS)

Black-vented Shearwater – 1 Nov-31 Dec, this species was present offshore all period (mob)

Great Egret – 30 Dec, rare on the Carrizo Plain, one at a small residential pond along Hwy 58 east of Bitterwater Rd (TME)

Cattle Egret – 13 Nov, one in a field east of Hwy 1 just north of San Simeon (RHZ) accounted for the only report

Black-crowned Night Heron – 19 Nov, one was along Cholame Creek at Bitterwater Road Bridge where rare (AJ)

Osprey – Up to eight were reported with one at Port San Luis 1 Nov (BAB) that may have been the same bird seen at Avila on 20 Oct (TME), multiple sightings of up to three at Morro Bay 1 Nov-31 Dec (mob), one at Lopez Lake 19 Dec (MLS), and three along Pozo Road on 26 Dec (MLS)

Bald Eagle – 18 Nov, an adult was at Santa Margarita Lake (DGS), 25 Nov, one was at San Simeon State Beach (BA) , and 20 Dec, an adult was being harassed by two Ospreys at Morro Bay (SCS)

Rough-legged Hawk – 10 Dec, one perched in a dead tree on the NE flank of Black Hill provided the first SLO County coastal sighting in several years (MLS,KC)

Merlin – 30 Dec, a very rare prairie, or richardsoni , race bird was on the Carrizo Plain Christmas Bird Count (DGS)

Lesser Yellowlegs – 5 Nov, one on the Morro Bay Estuary was later than expected (MLS)

American Golden-Plover – 1-13 Nov, the juvenile found last month continued at the mouth of San Simeon Creek (MLS,DV)

Mountain Plover – 12 Nov-31 Dec, up to 50 were reported on the Carrizo Plain mostly one mile south of the Washburn Ranch - Panorama Drive road intersection (mob)

Spotted Sandpiper – 30 Dec, one seen in a wash along 7 Mile Road during the Carrizo Plain Christmas Bird Count was the first winter report for the Carrizo Plain in 37 years (DM)

Thayer's Gull – 21 Nov and 19 Dec, single first winter birds were at Oceano County Park (BKS,MLS) and 5-31 Dec, a first winter bird was at Laguna Lake (MLS,mob)

Pigeon Guillemot – 23 Nov-31 Dec, a juvenile was near the harbor mouth at Morro Bay (TME)

Marbled Murrelet – 1 Nov, two were seen off the Estero Bluffs during an Estero Bay seabird survey (TME) and 25 Dec, one was off the Northpoint Natural Area in north Morro Bay (TME)

White-winged Dove – 23 Nov, one was with a flock of 61 Eurasian Collared Doves along Ocean Ave in Cayucos (TME) and 8-16 Dec, one was along Mission Street in San Luis Obispo (TME)

Lewis's Woodpecker – 21 Nov, one was 13.7 miles from the intersection of Hwy 58 and Pozo Road across from the Flying LB Ranch (MLS) and another was along Pozo Road about 2 miles east of Hwy 58 on 26 Dec (MLS)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – single adult males were along Mission Street in SLO between Almond and Chorro on 8 Dec (TME,MLS) and in the eucalyptus grove along the Horse Camp Road in Montana de Oro State Park 16-31 Dec (P&RJ)

Red-naped Sapsuker – 5 Nov-31 Dec, the adult male continued in the pepper trees at the Cal Poly Library (mob)

Northern Flicker – “yellow-shafted” birds were at Spooner's Cove Campground in Montana de Oro State Park on 4 Nov (DG) at the KCL Campground in the Carrizo Plain National Monument on 8 Nov (MLS)

Eastern Phoebe – 16-31 Dec, one was found at Cal Poly on the Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count (JMC)

Cassin's Kingbird – fair numbers of this once rare winter visitor continue to winter in the western portion of the county with a total of 27 reported between 10 Nov and 18 Dec (mob) with a high count of 21 in the Arroyo Grande Village on 18 Dec (BKS)

Barn Swallow – 22 Dec, three at Oso Flaco Lake provided the sole report for the period (SG)

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 14 Dec, the only report was of one on Black Hill (CAM)

Golden-crowned Kinglet – 17 Nov-16 Dec, a total of 12 were reported with birds at Spooners Cove Campground (AFS), Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (MT), and Black Hill in Morro Bay State Park (JSR)

Varied Thrush – small numbers are present this winter (22 reported) with three on Cuesta Ridge on 16 Nov being the first of the season (MLS,AFS)

Sage Thrasher – 31 Dec, one was along Soda Lake Road south of the Washburn Ranch and Panorama Drive Road (KI,TK)

Nashville Warbler – 21-22 Dec, one is wintering at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (MLS)

Yellow Warbler – 26 Nov, one along the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground nature trail was a late migrant (MS)

Black-and-white Warbler – 4 Nov, one was at Spooners Cove Campground in Montana de Oro State Park (DG) and 6 Nov, a male continued along Santa Rosa Creek adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cambria (BAB)

Canada Warbler – 21-23 Nov, a likely first year male was at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (BKS)

Summer Tanager – 22 Nov-26 Dec, a female was near the ranger residences at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (MLS)

Western Tanager – 16-26 Dec, a young male was at Cal Poly (JMC)

Clay-colored Sparrow – 6 Nov, one at Arroyo Laguna was the latest of the fall (BAB)

Savannah Sparrow – 4 Nov-31 Dec, a banded “large-billed” race bird was on the estuary side of the Morro Bay State Park Marina (TME)

Fox Sparrow – 24-31 Dec, a red race bird, likely of the zaboria race, was photographed at a feeder in Los Osos (MDS)

Swamp Sparrow – 22 Nov-25 Dec, one was about 30 feet to the right of the Coolidge/Norswing entrance at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (MLS) and another was on the inside of the Morro Bay Sandspit on 12/16 (TM)

White-throated Sparrow – 1 Nov-31 Dec, the eight reported were about normal for the period (mob)

Golden-crowned Sparrow X White-throated Sparrow – 2 Dec, a bird believed to be of this parentage returned for its third winter in Deer Canyon, northeast Arroyo Grande (BKS)

Dark-eyed Junco – after an absence of several years single “slate-colored” race birds were seen at Santa Margarita Lake on 18 Nov (DGS) and at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground 21-31 Dec (MLS)

Black-headed Grosbeak – 4 Nov, a late first winter male was near the Sector Office at Morro Bay State Park (TME) and 9 Nov-29 Dec, a wintering male was at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground (BKS)

Orchard Oriole – 19 Nov-31 Dec, an adult male is wintering in western Arroyo Grande (MS)

Hooded Oriole – 4 Nov, a female that visited a feeder in Deer Canyon , Arroyo Grande, was late (BKS)

Bullock's Oriole – 22 Nov, a female at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground was also late (MLS)

Nutmeg Mannikin – 11 Dec, an adult and juvenile were at the Audubon Overlook (MLS)

OBSERVERS : Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Bernardo Alps, Bill A. Bouton, Mark P. Brown, Barbara Burke, Jamie M. Chavez, Karen Clarke, Tom M. Edell , Steve Glover, Dan Guthrie, Marlin D. Harms, Kathleen Intorf, Allan Joachim , Prisilla and Rich Johnson, Tony Kent, Curtis A. Marantz, Dennis McDonnell, Tom Maloney, Dave Richardson, Jim S. Royer, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Steve C. Schubert, Mitch Siemens, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith , Doug G. Stinson, Mike D. Stiles , Mike Tyner, Deb Villa, 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