On the morning of October 16, 2022, a Variegated Flycatcher was observed at the corner of Aux Barques & Wallace in Huron Co. The person who eBirded this bird said it was reported on October 15th to a private Facebook group in Port Austin with no location details. He went looking for it and found it actively flycatching along the road.
This flycatcher’s normal range is South America.
Google Maps said it was a 256 mile – 4 hour 19 minute drive. We discussed it for a couple of days. There are a smattering of sightings in Florida, Toronto, and a few other states.
It would be a lifer, so we got up early on October 19th and drove in rain the last three hours of the trip. We arrived at 10:20 and as soon as the car was parked, we jumped out and immediately headed to where a few birders were standing. Yes, it was raining here to. A person was heading back to his car and motioned to the corner of Aux Barques & Wallace. Yes, it is a small world. This person was a birding friend who lives in Allegan County, just south of us. We watched it and it went a little west to find cover out of the rain. The streaks in the photos are rain drops. It was last seen on October 30th.