SEPTEMBER 2004

Pelagic Trip results: Black-footed Albatross and South Polar Skua, and two Flesh-footed Shearwaters. Upwards of 5,000 Pink-footed Shearwaters was well beyond past numbers on these trips, and five Buller’s and many hundred Sooty Shearwaters were recorded. Other highlights included single Ashy and Black Storm Petrels, 12 Pomarine and one Parasitic Jaeger, two Sabine’s Gulls, 4-5 Common Murres, and 15 Rhinoceros Auklets. .

Horned Grebe – 27 Sep, rare away from the coast, two were at the Men’s Colony wastewater evaporation [Cuesta] ponds (AFS) with one there on 30 Sep (EW)

Eared Grebe – 17 Sep, early date, two at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Pink-footed Shearwater – 27 Sep, 6-10 were seen from shore off Pismo Creek Mouth (CAM)

Cattle Egret – 10 Sep, a rare bird in recent years, one flew north over Oceano Campground (BKS, MLS) and 27 Sep, an immature bird was at the Men’s Colony wastewater evaporation ponds (AFS)

White-faced Ibis – 4 Sep, more numbers than most years, 30 flew over Lila Kaiser Park (TME) with “about 20” seen flying over Oso Flaco Lake on 23 Sep, (MLS, AFS) and an immature bird over Los Osos on 23 Sep (KAH)

Greater White-fronted Goose – 22 Sep, two adults were at the mouth of Pismo Creek (AFS); 22 Sep, 1 adult and 2 juveniles were at the Oceano Stables south of Arroyo Grande Creek (AFS) and latter at Oceano County Park on 24 Sep (CAM)

Canada Goose – 9 Sep, 63 seen flying out of Laguna Lake before dawn was the largest summer flock ever recorded in SLO County (TME)

Cackling Goose – 9 Sep, one in worn plumage that had a hint of a neck ring was at Laguna Lake (TME). This bird was apparently present there last month on 21 Aug (RF)

Wood Duck – 3-4 Sep, 19 were at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME); 6-13 Sep, up to 40 were counted at the Atascadero wastewater ponds (MDH); 22 Sep, two were on Pismo Creek at Ira Lease Park (AFS)

American Wigeon – 6 Sep, early date, two were at the Atascadero wastewater ponds (MDH)

Blue-winged Teal – 29 Sep, 4 males and 2 females were on Morro Bay off the Audubon Overlook (MDS) Green-winged Teal – 3 Sep, early date, 5 female plumaged birds at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Ring-necked Duck – 10 Sep, early date, two pair were at Oso Flaco Lake (MLS)

Scaup sp. – 9-10 Sep, the female that summered locally continued at Oceano County Park (MLS)

Common Merganser – 1-27 Sep, the female-plumaged bird summering at Oceano County Park continued its stay (mob); 12 Sep, a female plumaged bird was at the mouth of Pico Creek (TME)

Osprey – 8-30 Sep, one was on Morro Bay (KH,RV); 8 Sep, another was at Lopez Lake (MA); 18-23 Sep, one was seen at the Oceano Campground and Oceano County Park (DML)

Bald Eagle – 8 Sep, two adults were present on Lopez Lake for the past two months (MA) Common Moorhen – 27 Sep, an immature bird was discovered at Oceano County Park (CAM) and another was at Oso Flaco Lake on 29 Sep (PW)

Black-necked Stilt – 3 Sep, always rare in SLO County, one flew over Oso Flaco Lake (MLS); 5 Sep, two were at the Atascadero wastewater ponds (RHZ) with three there on 13 Sep (AFS)

Lesser Yellowlegs – 3-5 Sep, up to six juveniles at Whale Rock Reservoir (TME)

Solitary Sandpiper – 6 Sep, one was at the Atascadero wastewater ponds (MDH) Baird’s Sandpiper – 8-23 Sep, eight were reported along the coast between Pismo Creek and Arroyo Laguna (mob)

Pectoral Sandpiper – 3-27 Sep, five juveniles were reported along the coast (mob)

Common Tern – 3 Sep, a basic plumaged adult was on the beach at Old Creek, Cayucos (TME); 23-24 Sep, a juvenile/first year bird was at Oceano County Park (JSR) with two there on 27 Sep (CAM)

Marbled Murrelet – 19 Sep, five off Arroyo Laguna included two that appeared to be in alternate plumage (DML)

Vaux’s Swift – 29 Sep, one over Deer Canyon provided the only September sighting (BKS)

Willow Flycatcher – 4-29 Sep, seven reported along the coast between Oso Flaco Lake and Morro Bay (mob)

Common Raven – 13 Sep, an amazingly large flock of 47 birds was seen soaring over Cuesta Ridge (AFS)

Mountain Chickadee – 16 Sep, one at a ranch house in the southern Carrizo Plain National Monument (KS) is one of a handful of county records

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 6 Sep, one heard calling from a Monterey pine in Los Osos (KAH) and another at the Oceano Campground (JSR) were the first for the season.

White-breasted Nuthatch – 3-4 Sep, one was on Black Hill, Morro Bay State Park (TME)

Hermit Thrush – 26 Sep, early date, one at Oceano Campground (MLS)

Tennessee Warbler – 11 Sep, one was in the Oceano Campground (PR)

Virginia’s Warbler – 4 Sep, one was in a blackberry patch at the end of Nancy Street in Los Osos (JSR) Northern Parula – 20 Sep, a first fall female was along Arroyo Grande Creek between Bridge Street and Traffic Way (BKS)

Chestnut-sided Warbler – 29 Sep, one was at Oso Flaco Lake (PW)

Magnolia Warbler – 22 Sep, one was at Oso Flaco Lake (MT)

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 16 Sep, the first birds of the season were at Oceano Campground (BKS)

Blackburnian Warbler – 30 Sep, a first year bird was at Oso Flaco Lake (DML)

Blackpoll Warbler – 15-19 Sep, a female was at the Oceano Campground near the horse corral (BKS) with 2 immatures there on 23-27 Sep (JSR,CAM); 23 Sep, one was seen along the Bob Jones bike path (BKS)

Black-and-white Warbler – 4 Sep, one near the mouth of Santa Rosa Creek (KC); 29 Sep, one was at Oso Flaco Lake (PW)

American Redstart – 17-19 Sep, one at Oceano (NS); 23 Sep, an immature/female at Spooners Cove Campground, Montana de Oro State Park (MT)

Northern Waterthrush – 6-11 Sep, one was along the channel near the horse corrals at Oceano Campground (JSR); 18 Sep, a window-killed bird was found in Los Osos (fide KAH)

Canada Warbler – 22-23 Sep, one was at Oso Flaco Lake (MT)

Summer Tanager – 11 Sep, female/immature at Spooners Cove Campground, MDOSP (JSR); 23 Sep, one at Oceano Campground (JSR)

Lincoln’s Sparrow – 19 Sep, early date, one was in the willows along Arroyo de La Cruz (TME)

Fox Sparrow – 14 Sep, early date, one was at a feeder in Los Osos (AFS)

White-crowned Sparrow -- 8 Sep, early date, five Gambel’s race individuals at Morro Bay State Park (GPS)

Golden-crowned Sparrow – 27 Sep, early 12 date, two at the Oceano Campground (CAM) and another in Los Osos (AFS)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 15 Sep, a 1st fall male was at the Oceano Campground near the horse corral (BKS); 19 Sep, a possible female on Cayucos Creek at Hardy Park (RHZ)

Yellow-headed Blackbird – 22 Sep, a female was at the Oceano Stables south of Arroyo Grande Creek (MLS), with a male there 29 Sep (BKS)

OBSERVERS: Thanks to the many birders that report their sightings. The following people are cited above: Mary Adams, Tom M. Edell, Rosemary Flamion, Kara Hagedorn, Marlin D. Harms, Karen A. Havlena, Dave M. Lawrence, Curtis A. Marantz, Paul Rosso, Jim S. Royer, Alan F. Schmierer, Brad K. Schram, Steve C. Schubert, Kathy Sharum, Gregory P. Smith, Maggie L. Smith, Nancy States, Mike D. Stiles, Carol Thorpe, Mike Tyner, Rosalie Valvo, Pat Wells, 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