Maine has seen its fair share of birds that shouldn't be here.

I'm not sure how all these birds get so lost. A few years ago, we had the South American Great Black Hawk that was spotted in Portland. Sadly, that bird was here in the wrong time of the year and eventually succumbed to the elements. It's on display now downstate.

And of course, how could we forget about the Stellar Sea Eagle? Everybody went bananas trying to get photos of that big boy as he was making his way around Maine. Mainers love it when bizarre birds from far away, make their way here. Thankfully, we're all just a bunch of gawkers trying to take photos. So these rare birds are safe-ish, perhaps other than from the elements.

A new, mega-rare bird was also just spotted here in Maine.

More recently, people have been going totally ga-ga over sightings of a Tufted Puffin. So far, Mainers have spotted this little feathered friend off of Petite Manan just out from Steuben, and Machias Seal Island, 10 miles off the coast of Cutler. Even as far out as the Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is way off the coast of Rockland.

mtnpirate / Getty Images
mtnpirate / Getty Images
loading...

The Tufted Puffin is a bird that looks like a weird, Tolkien wizard version of the puffins we have here in Maine. They have extra hair, and their beak is a bit different. But their typical habitat is in Russia/Japan. Their closest breeding habitat is some 2,500+ miles away from here, according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash
Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash
loading...

Why is this bird here in Maine?

That's hard to say. Experts say that a bird like this wouldn't have flown over the interior of the U.S. to get here to Maine, so it possibly flew all the way around the Arctic Circle, a journey of nearly 5,000 miles!

But birders are going crazy trying to document the arrival of this rare creature that was last seen in Maine in 2014, and before that, not since the winter of 1831-32. So keep your eyes peeled if you're anywhere near any of these locations. You may just snap the bird photo of a lifetime.

WHILE YOU'RE NEAR THE COAST, CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING ELLSWORTH HOME...

Tree Top Views from This Spectacular Ellsworth Waterfront Home

If you've ever dreamt of living high on a bluff, overlooking the water, in a stunningly beautiful house, then this Ellsworth home is for you.

17 Times Maine and NH Servers Received Massive Tips from Customers

Working in the service industry can be hard. But sometimes that hard work can pay off big when a generous customer thanks a server with a huge tip. Here are 17 times that happened to servers in Maine and New Hampshire.

LOOK: Classic Cars For Auction From Maine's Owls Head Transportation Museum

Place your bids! From a '22 Ford Pickup to a '69 Porsche, feast your eyes on these exquisitely restored classic cars that are available right here in Maine.

More From WQCB Brewer Maine