SQUIRL033 Loc: Chehalis, WA

This is a VERY rare bird in Washington... only the third recorded sighting in the state. These birds are native to Asia; they breed all across Siberia, and winter in eastern China and Korea. Once in a great while, one will stray during the fall migration, or get blown off course by a storm, and wind up in North America, but only rarely will one be seen in the continental US. This one has been hanging around in Woodland, and I went down on Saturday, and again today, to try to get photos. Saturday was cloudy, and the bird was high up in some bare trees, so my first photos were less than satisfactory. I tried again today with nice weather, but alas, only was able to get the bird's head and parts of its body. The little stinker just does NOT like to be seen in the open, it seems... :( In any case, here are the two best glimpses I got of this super-rare visitor...

sergiohm

Congrats! Tell it to fly to Florida so I can take a picture too :-)

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Thank you for the history of this unique bird. Will he migrate back to Asia or stay here....?

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

A good effort.

CLF Loc: Raleigh, NC

Rocky, you captured a couple of great photos as you stated of a rare transiet visitor.

Greg

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Great captures.

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Fantastic captures, Rocky and am amazed that you realized that it was not a native bird!

SQUIRL033 Loc: Chehalis, WA

Thanks, everyone!

Blair Shaw, he'll most likely try to migrate back to Siberia in a month or so, it's just a matter of whether he knows he has to make a left turn at Anchorage to get there!

Swamp-cork, I knew it was a rarity before I left home to see it... the birders in the area here have been flocking to see it for the past several days... ;)

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Nice captures Rocky

DirkWill Loc: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Very Cool!! If you ever want to know if there are birders near you, post a sighting of a bird that's not supposed to be there. People will come out of the woodwork! Better be right though... Oh and by the way, can you please explain the guidance system that bird will use to get back on course and find its way to Siberia?

Katydid Loc: Davis, CA

Wow! Very exciting.