If you’ve ever chased a vagrant or have been at a hawkwatch, you’ve probably heard someone say it. After a long period of not seeing anything, someone will say that they’re offering themselves as a sacrifice — they’re leaving so that the bird everyone is looking for will show up or that activity will pick up. Rarely does it work.
Unfortunately for one person, but fortunately for another person, it did work on our recent St. John’s trip. Everyone’s main target when visiting St. John’s is Yellow-legged Gull (unless there’s a Lapwing or Redwing around). In North America, it only occurs regularly at this location. Weather and luck conspired against finding the Yellow-legged for most of the tour. One person left early, empty-handed (the early departure was planned before the tour started). Then two hours after dropping him off at the airport, our group found a Yellow-legged (photos by Jared Clark below).
I don’t know if it’s related, but the tour ended this morning and a Redwing was found in the afternoon. D’oh!