̽»¨¾«Ñ¡

The beauty of nature live-streams is that you never know what might happen. Take,Ìýfor instance, theÌýÌýhosted byÌý̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and on ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡'s Hog Island. It is full of surprises.Ìý

During breeding season, the cam isÌýgreat for checking up on a nesting pair of Ospreys nicknamed Rachel and Steve. ButÌýtwice the camÌýhasÌýcaptured the drama of a Bald Eagle attacking theirÌýnest.ÌýAnd nowÌýthis morningÌýit picked upÌýan incredible rarity, the first confirmedÌýsighting of a Vermilion Flycatcher in Maine. At 7:17Ìýa.m., the unexpectedÌývisitor took a briefÌýrespiteÌýon a largeÌýbranch extending from the Osprey nest.Ìý

This handsome fellow isÌýveryÌýfar from home—Vermilion Flycatchers in the United StatesÌýusually stick to the Southwest. That said,ÌýtheÌýbirdsÌýhave developed aÌýreputation for wanderingÌýoff course during migration, withÌýscattered records as far afield as Washington state and Quebec,Ìýaccording to expert birder and ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ field editor Kenn Kaufman.Ìý

Still, it's an exciting rarity for a New EnglandÌýstate likeÌýMaine.Ìý"Vermilion Flycatchers undoubtedly wander out of range every year," Kaufman said in an email. "But as you move farther and farther away from the core range, your chances of finding such a bird become vanishingly remote. Even when it's a bright red male like this, it's a very tiny needle in a vast haystack."

It technically might not be theÌýfirst needle in this particular haystack, though.ÌýWhile this birdÌýcounts as the first confirmed sightingÌýof a Vermilion in Maine,Ìýit's not the first reported stray. According to the , there has been at least one "hypothetical" sighting of a Vermilion Flycatcher in Maine. That's the status given when a report seems trustworthy but wasn't specific enough in the listed location or lacks documentation. Documentation like, say, a video.

And that might be what'sÌýmostÌýamazing about this clip: that such a rare andÌýtinyÌýlittleÌýbird chose to alightÌýon a branch that just happened to beÌýfeaturedÌýon a live web cam. One tree over, and chances are goodÌýno one would have ever known the birdÌýflew through. The momentÌýis, as Kaufman puts it,Ìýan "insane coincidence."Ìý

What's alsoÌýsurprising, Kaufman adds, is that the birdÌýstopped by in the spring. Most off-course Vermilions are reportedÌýduringÌýfall, he says. Even though the male is not a fullÌýadult, getting to see its bright-red breeding plumage was aÌýtreat for web-cam viewers. And while the bird looked likeÌýa from afar, one watcherÌýwasÌýable to zoom in close on the flycatcher and itsÌýscarletÌýfeathersÌýbefore the birdÌýflitted off—perhapsÌýto beginÌýits long journey back home.ÌýÌý

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