Smew

Steven Umland found this rarity on Saturday, the 20th of January 2007. By Sunday the word reached a fair number of people who managed to get to Soulsbyville, California for excellent looks and many photographs.

This bird was chasable for the next week as hundreds made the trip. Cindy and I tried on the following Saturday and the Smew was not seen that day. Fortunately, we had already made plans to stay over. On Sunday we arrived to find the pond again minus the bird. We spent about two hours chatting with old friends and new acquaintances, hoping for its return. Slowly, we were making our way back to within seconds of the car and the highway. Just as we were walking off the dam, the Howe family and others began shouting and we knew our wait was over.

Leslie Lieurance
San Francisco

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