“I’m here for the beach,” said Sue Deadman, who traveled nearly 400 miles (400 km) from Odessa’s Orillia.  to see her.
A few feet away was Brian Morin, a bird lover who had left his home in Cornwall, Aude.  at 2 in the morning to get there.  But the 700-kilometer journey was worth the wait.
“This is the first record for Canada,” says Morin.
“It is a coastal bird that may not look very different from the other birds around, but when you get something like that, it is unique in its kind.  “Most people have never seen it if you have not traveled around the world.”
Brian Morin drove almost 700 miles from Od Cornwall.  to Thedford, Ont.  to take a look at the sand of the swamp.  This is the first time the bird has been recorded in Canada.  (Brent Lale / CTV News)
Local poultry farmer James Holdsworth was the first to spot the sand from the road near the lagoons.  He often stops at this point and could not believe his eyes on Saturday.
“It’s an incredible rarity,” says Holdsworth.  “I could not choose something rare if I tried terms like a fantasy board.”
He says he knew immediately that it was something special, as he looked like other yellowish legs in the area, but he could tell from the pale color on his head and neck that it was a sandy beach.
“When it flies it has a big V with a white back that is very discreet and has long green legs, unlike anything in North America,” says Holdsworth.
The swamp beach differs from the smaller yellowfoot in that it has a very pale head and neck, a long slender stick, long green legs and a white wedge on the back.  (Source: Matt Parsons) “When I saw it, my heart was pounding, my hands were shaking and I just did not believe it was really here.  This Asian bird only occasionally appears on the west coast of North America and Alaska occasionally, but is even a rare bird on the Atlantic coast on the British side.  “It’s native to Central Asia.”
When the news broke that Holdsworth had spotted the swamp, bird watchers wanted their own views.  Ontario Field (OFO) President Jeff Skevington immediately contacted Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber and arranged access to Thedford Lagoons Lagoon, a privately owned town.
Since their approval, more than 500 people have appeared on Sunday and Monday.
Hundreds of bird lovers from across the county and Michigan flock to Thedford, Ont.  the last two days to drop a taste of the swamp beach.  This is the first time the bird has been recorded in Canada.  (Brent Lale / CTV News) “OFO has just started the Ontario Rare Bird Ambassadors Program,” says Susan Nagy, OFO’s director.
“It’s just for situations like this where a rare bird comes to a private property or areas where we do not have access and we work with landowners or municipalities to try to gain access.  It is to keep everything organized and safe for birds and humans.  “This is the first one and you could not find a better bird to start the program,” says Nagy.
Most of the birds could not capture well with their camera, as the beach was opposite the lagoon.  But Bryan Puttock of Burlington and others used a field to observe.
“He’s just a cute little bird,” says Puttock.  “I’ve seen him once in Australia before, so this is his normal habitat on the other side of the world. So for him to come here, it’s amazing to think about how he got here.”
Holdsworth, who returned on Monday for another brief look, has become a bit of a celebrity in the bird watching community this weekend.
James Holdsworth discovered a swamp beach in Thedford, Ont.  Holdsworth says it is the first recorded bird sighting in Canada.  (Brent Lale / CTV News) Even two days after his first appearance, he is still in shock that the peppercorns landed five minutes from his home.
“It’s a dream come true and I do not think you could have chosen something more crazy,” says Holdsworth.  “Birds always fantasize about what they want to see and look at European field guides or Asian field guides and think it would be great to see.  “This is one of those birds where it would be like hitting the Powerball lottery.”
For most of these birds, just like a lottery win, this is a once in a lifetime.