By far the best seabirds of the fall were single Streaked Shearwaters on 13 Oct (25 nmi W of Pt. Pinos) and 14 Oct (2.5 nmi N of Pt. Pinos; photo right © Todd Easterla). Given the distances involved and the remote chances of refinding any seabirds, these were almost surely different birds; both were seen on Monterey Seabirds boat trips. There are now a dozen MTY records, all between late August and mid October.

It was a comparatively slow autumn for routine eastern vagrants, such as Black-and-white Warbler (below; photo © D. Roberson 23 Oct at Laguna Grande), but the diversity of rarities was good (see following photos).

National Audubon Society had a convention at Asilomar during the first week of October. A field trip to Carmel River mouth was offered, led by Don Roberson, Rita Carratello, and Gary Langham. More than 25 birders participated. It was a very poor day for landbirds. Kasey Foley first spotted a large, yellow-bellied flycatcher but it got away unidentified. Some time later, and up around the bend, someone in the group spotted a large flycatcher high in the canopy. Laurie Szogas got off a couple quick digital snaps, including this one (above left) as the bird took off. By the time any leaders got to the spot the bird was gone, but looking at Laurie's digital display, Don felt it was likely a Great Crested Flycatcher. Note that in the flight shot the tail is spread, and that the rufous inner webs of all rectrices (except the central pair) continue right to the tip of the feather. On our regular Ash-throated Flycatcher, the dark outer web expands at the feather tip to "cut off" the rufous from reaching the tip.

Shortly thereafter the bird was refound for the whole group and confirmed as a Great Crested, just the 6th for MTY (all in late Sep–early Oct). It remained through 13 Oct and many more photos were taken. In Bill Hill's fine shot (above right, taken 7 Oct) the tail pattern is evident, but more impressive is the sharply-demarcated crisp white edges to the tertials. On the uppermost tertial that white edging is very broad and 'bulges' in the center (also on the tertial below that but less prominently). This tertial pattern, the green cast to the back, and the extensively pale base to the long, heavy bill (below; photo © D. Roberson on 8 Oct) exclude Brown-crested Flycatcher, a species that has not yet reached MTY. Note also the dark gray breast which contrasts with the yellow belly, most conspicuously here in the flight shot.