Local birder adds rare red-flanked bluetail to life list

Tom McNeil drove 5.5 hours from Winston-Salem to see the unexpected bird in Virginia

Feb. 1, 2026 at 9:15am

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Tom McNeil, a member of the Elizabethton Birding Club and alumnus of Hampton High School, drove from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to the Washington, D.C. metro area to see a rare red-flanked bluetail, a small 5-inch bird that had been spotted in Fairfax County, Virginia. This was only the second record of the Eurasian species in the eastern United States.

Why it matters

The appearance of the red-flanked bluetail, a bird normally found in Asia, in Virginia has generated excitement among birders. This rare sighting highlights how birds can sometimes show up in unexpected locations, which keeps birding an exciting hobby as one never knows what unexpected species might appear.

The details

McNeil left Winston-Salem at 3 a.m. and arrived at Great Falls Park in Virginia around 8:30 a.m., where he joined about 75 other birders searching for the red-flanked bluetail. After about an hour, someone spotted the bird and the group converged on it. Based on the bird's appearance, most observers believe it is a female, though it could be an immature male.

  • On January 4, McNeil departed Winston-Salem at 3 a.m. to drive to the Washington, D.C. area.
  • The red-flanked bluetail had been present in Fairfax County, Virginia for four days before McNeil's arrival.

The players

Tom McNeil

A member of the Elizabethton Birding Club and alumnus of Hampton High School who drove from Winston-Salem, North Carolina to see the rare red-flanked bluetail in Virginia.

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What they’re saying

“I came home to make sure the pipes didn't freeze.”

— Tom McNeil

“This is only the second record in the eastern United States. The first was in New Jersey, two years ago.”

— Tom McNeil

“I heard some people speculating that it was the same bird that was in New Jersey. I can't even begin to speculate how it wound up here.”

— Tom McNeil

What’s next

If the red-flanked bluetail is still present in the next few days, Tom and his wife Cathy plan to go together to try and see the rare bird.

The takeaway

This unexpected sighting of a red-flanked bluetail, a bird normally found in Asia, in Virginia highlights the excitement and unpredictability of birding, as one never knows what rare species might show up in an area, keeping the hobby engaging and full of surprises.