I don't know how unusual this is in this area, but I was under the impression (from what I have read) that the black-crested ones were East Coast birds. I saw this one at Avila Beach off the bridge on the Bob Jones trail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11815777@N07/7033081919/

I also saw a female Hooded Merganser, as well as the usual Canada geese, Coots, Mallards, and Red-winged Blackbirds.

At Pismo Creek there was a male Red-breasted Merganser, a male Gadwall, Eared Grebes, a few in breeding plumage, a smattering of Bufflehead ducks of both genders, Mallards, a Western Grebe, and a large number of American Coots and Ruddy Ducks. I also saw eight Snowy Egrets.

The rain didn't start until I got home, yay!

Michelle Maani
Nipomo, California

On Santa Rita Rd. I  heard a call and then briefly  saw 1 MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, (my fos). I started
at the Templeton end of the road. The paved road turns to dirt and then
becomes paved again. I parked in the first little turnout on the right
which has a metal gate across the road.  Complete directions:

 http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/northguide.htm#sariro 
 
Maggie Smith
Arroyo Grande
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie


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Hi All -
this morning near the head of Poly Canyon I had a male BLACK-THROATED GREY WARBLER (a first for me). In the same group of trees were the inevitable YELLOW-RUMPED and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and a WILSON'S WARBLER, as well as PURPLE FINCHES, WARBLING and HUTTON'S VIREOS, LARK SPARROWS, and a pair of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. Quite a happening spot!

Ken Hillers
San Luis Obispo

Has anyone seen cliff swallows yet? A pair usually nests under my eves, and they're usually here by this time. I also have not seen any flying around my neighborhood, and there is usually a pretty good number of them. Am I wrong about when they arrive?

Johanna Rubba
Grover Beach

Maggie reminded me - i heard a Grasshopper Sparrow singing last Saturday on Orcutt Road in SLO at the intersection with Avocado Lane on the way out to Edna Valley. There were likely others around, but i was running!

Andrea Jones San Luis Obispo, CA




To: slocobirding@...
From: milleniummaggs@...
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:25:40 -0700
Subject: [slocobirding] Grasshopper Sparrow






My saw and heard my first of the season GRASSHOPPER SPARROW on private property early this morning. I guess they're here and setting up territories.

The CASSIN'S VIREO continues at Cerro Alto near campsite 18.

Maggie Smith
Arroyo Grande
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie

My saw and heard my first of the season GRASSHOPPER SPARROW on private property early this morning.  I guess they're here and setting up territories.

The CASSIN'S VIREO continues at Cerro Alto near campsite 18.  
 
Maggie Smith
Arroyo Grande
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie


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Hello All,

The first male Calliope Hummingbird just flew in at my feeders minutes ago. The last few years I've been away to Texas. So... hope it sticks around. No photos yet.

Roger Zachary
Atascadero

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Michael Hanson" <mthansonm@...>
To: mthanson@...
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 6:09:12 AM
Subject: FW: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?



--- On Thu, 3/29/12, Larry Foreman <lforeman5@...> wrote:



From: Larry Foreman <lforeman5@...>
Subject: FW: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?
To: "'Michael Hanson'" <mthansonm@...>, "'Bruce Baker'" <brucereneebaker@...>
Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 5:48 PM












From: Larry Foreman [mailto:lforeman5@...]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 11:09 AM
To: 'Richard Crowe'
Subject: RE: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?



Dick,



I think it’s legit. Animals do all kinds of things. Perhaps Beverly has never been that hungry.



Larry





From: Richard Crowe [ mailto:bevrichcrowe@... ]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 5:39 AM
To: Larry Foreman
Cc: Fred Crowe
Subject: FW: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?




Larry, you're a famous wildlife biologist...was the eagle movie I sent yesterday photoshopped?
D





From: fcrowe@...
To: bevrichcrowe@...
CC: dlewis5@...
Subject: RE: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:59:48 -0700


Dunno. My bird expert Dave is on my mailing list, so perhaps he’ll weigh in….





From: Richard Crowe [ mailto:bevrichcrowe@... ]
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 8:45 PM
To: Fred Crowe
Subject: RE: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?




Beverly thinks this is fake. What do you say?





From: fcrowe@...
To: fcrowe@...
Subject: FW: Ever seen an eagle do the breast stroke before?
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:01:14 -0700


Looks more like the butterfly.





From: Dana




















This


footage was taken at Mallard Lakes subdivision in Baton Rouge


.


Someone had


shot a nutria (.A nutria is a River


Rat...a semi-aquatic rodent...sounds nasty),





and it was


floating dead in the water.


I can't


believe what this eagle did to bring that nutria in.


I never saw


an Eagle doing a breast-stroke before.





http://www.youtube.com/embed/87xNpOYOlQ4?rel=0

Greetings,

The first Bullock's Orioles hit eastern Edna Valley (Varian Ranch) about a week ago, but 3 males visited the grape jelly feeder this evening (2 adults and a first year bird), along with a Hooded Oriole male. Other FOS yardbirds included Western Kingbird and Rufous Hummingbird.

A few days ago a Yellow-billed Magpie became the latest "different" species to dine on grape jelly. I've seen that happen only this once. I don't really keep track of this, but others include Oak Titmouse, Western Scrub Jay, and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Briefly, a new yard bird was tallied today: A Red-breasted Sapsucker was in view on a toyon (no sap wells on it at all) for about a minute. I didn't even go for the camera, just enjoyed it for a moment before it flew off, headed north.

A few oriole images are at: http://flickr.com/photos/dave_lawrence

I promise they'll get better, but couldn't resist this FOS opportunity.

Dave Lawrence

Ken Hillers and I had a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW in the grasslands in the saddle between Poly Canyon and Stenner Canyon this morning. We also had a sub-adult GOLDEN EAGLE, and the continuing YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES. We had a HAIRY WOODPECKER working a power pole, but have not seen the Red-breasted Sapsucker for about two weeks. WESTERN KINGBIRDS have been obvious in their vocalizations several places on campus recently.

Mike Stiles
Los Osos

The Phainopepla (male) was stillpresent this evening. Last sighting of female
was af ew days ago in the ancient oak, appearing from one of the huge clumps of
Mistletoe). The mael is often seen sitting in the willows directly across the
path from the oak.  NESTING possible?

Active Black Throated Swifts and Cliff Swallow at Niblick Bridge.

Finally, a male hooded Oriole appeared at our yard feeder today!

Mary Ann Ambrose


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mar 29th, Cerro Alto CG, the Cassin's Vireo was very active and continually
singing above Campsite 18. Back down the road was a singing Black-headed
Grosbeak.





Paul & Rita Rosso

Lompoc, CA

Had my first Bullock's Oriole of the spring in our yard in Atascadero this afternoon. The Black-headed Grosbeak from yesterday is already singing and setting up territory.

Kevin J. Zimmer

Hello All,

After reviewing the Glaucous Gull photos I posted today, the bird is a 1st year bird instead of a 2nd year gull. 2nd year gulls have a pale eye.

Roger Zachary
Atascadero

Hello,

I stopped by Morro Creek Mouth this afternoon around 2 p.m. and found a 2nd winter GLAUCOUS GULL. I've posted several photos of the gull.

Roger Zachary
Atascadero
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloroger

Hi,

I teach at Cal Poly and saw an odd bird today on the grounds of my office building (47, "The Maze"). It was the size of a med.-large sparrow, and spent time on the ground as well as in trees. I didn't get good looks at it; I don't even remember whether it walked or hopped. I thought I caught sight of white outer tail feathers on a longish tail. Didn't catch tail-tip shape. The body was darkish, I'm thinking streaked brown. Most notable was its *almost entirely white head*, including the throat. The only color on the head was a black streak that reached back from the eye not quite to the back of the head. The streak wasn't regular, with even edges, like a stripe. It started small, got bigger, and then sort of fizzled out in little streaks. I didn't get a good look at its beak, unfortunately.

It was far too small for a shrike and did not have the head marking patterns of a shrike. I don't see any kind of sparrow, bunting, or longspur in my field guide that looks anything like this head. I saw the head from all angles: white, white, white. Anybody?

Johanna Rubbba
jer727@...

I had my first Black-headed Grosbeak and first Pacific-slope Flycatcher of the year in my yard in Atascadero today. The grosbeak is lagging behind last year's exceptionally early arrival date of 3/14.

Also, a male Hooded Oriole at my feeders yesterday was (by plumage characters) probably the same male that showed up on 3/10-11, but had not been seen since the cold, rainy weather started.

All 4 wintering White-throated Sparrows are still in the yard.

Kevin J. Zimmer

Had our first Bullock's oriole in yard this morning. A gorgeous male came
in to the half oranges I had place out near some seed feeders.

What we are seeing regularly right now:

Band tailed pigeons
mourningdoves
dark eyed juncos
house finches
Calif towhees
Spotted towhees
Cal quail
Golden-crowned sparrows of all ages
White crowned sparrows of all ages
western bluebirds - getting very interested in nest boxes
Anna's hummer - one female is on nest with 2 babies in our cypress
Rufous hummer
Hermit thrush
Amer robins
kestrels
red-tailed hawks
turkey vultures
starlings - just fly-bys
crows - fly-bys
ravens
house wrens
black phoebe
say's phoebe
violet-green swallows - a few days ago
yellow-rumped warblers were here but are now missing
lesser goldfinches

In the oak grove across from us but not really in our yard:
scrub jays
steller's jays
great horned owls
red-shouldered hawks
oak titmice
chestnut backed chickadees

I think that's it for now.
Claudia Freitas in the hills of west Atascadero from which we can see the
ocean!

Mid morning I thought I heard a CASSIN'S VIREO singing high in the large oaks at campsite 18  which is in the main campground.  It took a while but I got good looks at the white spectacles and the yellow edged flanks.
 
Maggie Smith
Arroyo Grande
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie


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