LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — July has been a special month for Pennsylvania birdwatchers after another rare bird was spotted in Clay Township, Lancaster County.
For the first time in 40 years, a Hudsonian godwit was spotted at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.
The species of bird was last seen at Middle Creek in 1983 and has only been in the area three times on record.
Nina and Warren Wolf were the first to identify the rare bird on Wednesday evening and immediately got the word out to the birding community upon the unique discovery.
"I saw it in the binoculars and I said, 'Warren, I got a bird out here with a long bill.' He came and he looked at it and he said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a Hudsonian godwin!’ We put the word out and people just came flocking," said Nina Wolf, treasurer for the Lancaster County Bird Club.
This comes just weeks after a limpkin, a bird typically found in the tropics, was seen for the first time on record in Pennsylvania in the same area.
Mike Perate, one of the lucky few birdwatchers that got to catch both historic sightings, says he feels like he hit the jackpot.
"This can’t be happening again. It was like groundhog day," said Perate. "Almost like getting struck by lightning twice in almost a week or two weeks. It was just surreal."
The two rare sightings are highlighting what makes Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area so special for bird watchers.
"We’ve had over 60 species here in just a couple hours' time," said Wolf. "It’s great to have this in our backyard."
Whatever birds may be in the area next, bird watchers are excited about what they could see on their next trip to Middle Creek.
"It’s awesome because you don’t know from day to day what you are going to see," said Perate. "It’s like a treasure hunt, you’re out here to find the treasure."