THE BIRDS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – October 2005

Western Grebe – 28 Oct, adults with full size begging young at Whale Rock Reservoir are probably the last of a very successful breeding season (TME)

Clark's Grebe – 24 Oct, a begging young with an adult provided the first confirmed breeding at Lopez Lake (MLS); 28 Oct, two sets of small young with adults at Whale Rock Reservoir were probably the last of this breeding season (TME)

Cattle Egret – This species has been very rare the last few years. 17 Oct, one was at Oceano County Park (MLS) and 20 Oct, one was at the Mens Colony evaporation ponds north of Cuesta College (MLS)

White-faced Ibis –one fl ew over Oso Flaco Lake on 5 Oct (MLS) and again on 20 Oct (DS)

Greater White-fronted Goose – 9-15 Oct, an immature at Cayucos Creek (GPS) was joined by another 21-31 Oct (TME)

Canada Goose – 15 Oct, one at the Atascadero wastewater ponds may have been an early migrant (RHZ)

Cackling Goose – 19-30 Oct, a juvenile was at the mouth of Old Creek in Cayucos (GPS)

Brant –birds began arriving from Alaska with ~100 on Morro Bay on 28 Oct (MLS) and ~400 on 29 Oct (JLR)

Wood Duck –15 Oct, four at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME) and “many” at the Atascadero wastewater ponds (RHZ) were at expected locations, while a female at San Simeon Creek mouth on 16 Oct (TME) was a bit unusual

Eurasian Wigeon – 9-28 Oct, a male was found on Morro Bay during this year's “Big Sit” at the Elfin Forest (BAB)

Blue-winged Teal – 8 Oct, ~50 on Morro Bay off the Elfi n Forest was the high count for the period (JSR)

White-winged Scoter – 23 Oct, an adult male at San Simeon Cove and an immature at the Pismo Creek mouth lagoon on 24 Oct (TME) were the fi rst of the season

Bufflehead – 9 Oct, an eclipse/immature male at Morro Bay (TME) provided a new early arrival date for the county

Common Merganser – 8 Oct, the male at Oceano County Park was still present (TME)

Red-breasted Merganser – 9 Oct, two in “female plumage” at Morro Bay (TME) provided a new early fall arrival date

Osprey – 1-31 Oct, 8-10 were reported along the coast and at Santa Margarita and Lopez lakes (mob)

Bald Eagle – 9 Oct, a tagged immature was at the elephant seal viewing area (NR). According to the Institute for Wildlife Studies, this bird was fostered on Santa Catalina Island in 2005 and was last been seen at Cachuma Lake.

Common Moorhen – 15 Oct, one was on Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Pacific Golden-Plover – 23 Oct, one was photographed on the beach at the Estero Bluffs (DML)

Pectoral Sandpiper – 16 Oct, two at San Simeon Creek mouth (TME) were the only ones reported

Laughing Gull – 21 Oct, an adult was at the mouth of Old Creek in Cayucos (DML,SJ)

Elegant Tern – 20 Oct, 66 at Morro Bay was the largest concentration reported for the period (MLS)

Pigeon Guillemot –four off the west end of Yerba Buena in north Morro Bay on 22 Oct (DML), two seen on an Estero Bay seabird survey on 26 Oct (BKS), and one sitting on shore south of Toro Creek on 27 Oct (KG) were all late

Marbled Murrelets – 14 Oct, two were off the Hwy 1 vista point at post mile 56 (MLS)

Burrowing Owl – 9 Oct, one at the Cloisters development in Morro Bay was an early coastal arrival (FH)

Black-chinned Hummingbird – 4 Oct, an immature male in Arroyo Grande set a new late date for the county (CL)

Selasphorus sp – 1 Oct, one at the Pecho Marsh (MSM) was later than expected

Tropical Kingbird – 13 Oct, one was at Islay Creek in Montana de Oro State Park (hereafter MDOSP) (GPS); 14 Oct, one was at the base of Whale Rock Dam (JB); 14 Oct, one along Hwy 1 at post mile 56 (MLS)

Cassin's Kingbird – 30 Oct, three along Arroyo Grande Creek at Fair Oaks (BKS) were likely arriving winter birds

Common Raven – 3 Oct, four flying over Deer Canyon (BKS) were west of the Santa Lucia Range where they are rare

Cliff Swallow – 4 Oct, one over Deer Canyon in northeast Arroyo Grande was late (BKS) Sage Thrasher – 12 Oct, one was along Soda Lake Rd just south of the Carrizo Plain Nature Center road (AFS)

Le Conte's Thrasher – 12 Oct, one was along Panorama Road on the Carrizo Plain (AFS)

Lucy's Warbler – 16 Oct, one was at the Oceano State Park Campground (hereafter OSPC) (MT)

Chestnut-sided Warbler – 1-8 Oct, up to three females and a male showing chestnut sides were at the OSPC (MLS, mob)

Magnolia Warbler – 20-22 Oct, a fi rst fall bird was at Oso Flaco Lake (DS)

Blackburnian Warbler – 10 Oct, a dull individual was along Arroyo Grande Creek upstream of Fair Oaks Blvd (BKS)

Palm Warbler – 1-10 Oct, one was at the OSPC (SH)

Blackpoll Warbler – 1-10 Oct, one was at the OSPC (MB)– 1 Oct, one at Oso Flaco Lake (TF)

Black-and-white Warbler – 16 Oct, “male or adult female” at OSPC (MT)

American Redstart – 23 Oct, surprisingly an immature at Coon Creek in MDOSP was the lone report (JSR)

Prothonotary Warbler – 2-5 Oct, a female was seen at the OSPC (BS)

Clay-colored Sparrow – 6-14 Oct, up to six were at the mouth of Islay Creek in MDOSP (AFS)

Brewer's Sparrow – 12 Oct, one was at Quail Spring in the Carrizo Plains National Monument (AFS)

Black-throated Sparrow – rarely reported in the county; 12 Oct, one was at Padronnes Spring and another at Quail Spring in the Carrizo Plain National Monument (AFS)

Savannah Sparrow – 18-31 Oct, up to two “large-billed” race birds were just south of the Morro Bay State Park marina (AFS)

White-throated Sparrow – 14 Oct, one was at Islay Creek mouth (GPS); 23 Oct, a tan striped bird was behind campsite 13 at Spooners Cove Campground in MDOSP (JSR); and 26 Oct, one was in a Los Osos backyard (MDS)

Yellow-headed Blackbird – 1 Oct, one at Oceano County Park (MSM)

OBSERVERS: Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: John Bell, Bill A. Bouton, Mark Brown, Tom M. Edell, Ted Floyd, Katie Gordon, Freeman Hall, Marlin D. Harms, Steve Howell, Steve Jobst, Dave M. Lawrence, Cheryl Lish, Regena Orr, John L. Roser, Nancy Revelle, Jim S. Royer, Mike San Miguel, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, David Schurr, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith, Mike D. Stiles, Brad Stoval, Mike Tyner, Deb Villa, and Roger H. Zachary. 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