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WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (WGHP) — Bird watchers on the North Carolina coast have gotten a special treat recently.

“Rocky,” as he’s been dubbed, has been capturing folks’ attention, but not just because he’s Carolina blue!

Rocky is a mountain bluebird, normally only found in the higher elevations of the Western United States. While they aren’t that different from Eastern bluebirds, the coloration is different, making Rocky quite unusual, according to an article on Yahoo Sports.

No one has said what might have brought him this far east, but Yahoo Sports speculated that the warm, dry winter may have attracted him.

  • Photo courtesy of Dorothy Sutherland
    Photo courtesy of Dorothy Sutherland
  • Photo courtesy of Dorothy Sutherland
    Photo courtesy of Dorothy Sutherland

Enthusiasts from a North Carolina birdwatching Facebook group have been sharing wonderful pictures of Rocky.

This pretty bird is certainly a welcome sight as spring arrives.