Overview
- Golfer Roy William Gardner photographed the bird at Vineyards Golf and Country Club in Riverhead and sent the image to his nephew, ornithologist Christopher Sayers, who alerted rare‑bird networks.
- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology confirmed the identification, and curator Jay McGowan helped disseminate updates after relocating the bird during early searches.
- More than 200 checklists and reports were logged on eBird and social platforms as birders traveled from multiple states to see the species rarely recorded in the continental U.S.
- The last confirmed sightings were late Sunday afternoon, and the bird has not been seen since, with experts urging anyone who finds it to share reports with the community.
- Local farmers and the golf course permitted access for viewing, while explanations offered by scientists include juvenile misorientation or displacement by recent storms.