A tiny bird never before seen in Minnesota has been spotted in an Edina park.
A Swainson's warbler apparently overshot its spring migration destination and ended up about 1,200 miles from where it ought to be.
The small, warm-brown bird, which is about 41⁄2 inches long and has a sharply pointed bill, has been seen poking through the leaf litter along Minnehaha Creek, looking for food.
It likely was hungry when it arrived here from its winter range in Central America, its flight at least twice as long as usual. It should have stopped in one of the states on the Gulf Coast or the southeastern Atlantic seaboard, where the bird traditionally nests.
Hundreds of people have come to Arden Park to see this first-ever sighting, after it was reported online. It was found by local resident Jeremy Cushman, who was giving his 4-month-old son, Ethan, a stroller ride in the park.
Luckily, Cushman had been studying warblers in preparation for their migration through the Twin Cities. He said he couldn't believe that he was seeing a Swainson's warbler, given the bird's usual range, so he photographed the bird and posted the sighting.
As of Monday afternoon, the bird was still there. But it hasn't been singing, is rarely off the ground and scurries in the litter, so it's difficult to spot. The easiest way to find it is by asking another birder to point it out.
If you do see the bird, don't get too close. That would stress the wayward bird.
