Rare Blue Rock Thrush Spotted in Oregon, Potentially First U.S. Sighting

An amateur photographer captured images of a blue rock thrush on Oregon's coast, marking what could be the first confirmed sighting of the species in the United States.

Michael Sanchez, an amateur photographer, captured images of a blue rock thrush at Hug Point State Recreation Site, potentially the first sighting in the U.S.
The blue rock thrush, native to Europe and Asia, has only been unofficially spotted in North America once before, in British Columbia in 1997.
Birding experts and enthusiasts are excited by the sighting, with many attempting to relocate the bird on the Oregon coast.
The sighting is under review by the Oregon Bird Records Committee and the American Birding Association Records Committee.
Sanchez, who recently took up photography, did not initially realize the rarity of his find until he posted the images online.