People flock to quiet Yorkshire street after rare bird blown off course by hurricane
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Birdwatchers gathered in a quiet cul-de-sac after an exceptionally rare bird was seen in Yorkshire for the first time.
It's thought that the bird is a scarlet tanager. It showed up in Shelf, close to Halifax, after being pushed off its path by powerful winds from a hurricane in North America.
Typically, the bird migrates back and forth between the forests of lowland South America and the eastern United States twice a year.
However, the uncommon scarlet tanager seems to have strayed from its usual path, making its way to the peaceful Yorkshire street and drawing in many birdwatchers from all over the UK.
The American Bird Conservancy points out that the sound of the bird's song is frequently likened to a "robin that has a cold."
According to the All About Birds website by Cornell University, female and young birds sport a yellowish-green coloration, whereas adult male birds in breeding plumage display a vivid red body paired with black wings and tails.
According to Bird Guides' post on X, this sighting is thought to be the first of its kind in Yorkshire.
"A first-winter male scarlet tanager, never before spotted in Yorkshire, marks only the eighth recorded sighting in Britain and the first one since 2014," it added.
The birds possess sturdy, rounded beaks that help them catch insects and consume fruit.
A birdwatcher who traveled from London said that the sighting was "thrilling."
Another individual, Luke Nash, who traveled from Durham, shared his experience with the BBC: “I was a little skeptical when I found out it was taking place here. I was leisurely strolling, fiddling with my camera and glancing at my phone, when suddenly someone yelled that it was approaching. That's when I pulled my camera out of my bag and got my binoculars ready.”
