I was a hardcore twitcher. I understand why the Cocos booby has Australia’s birders in a frenzy | Andrew Stafford (opens original article in a new tab)

The discovery of a black-headed gull and a Cocos booby in Australia has generated excitement among birders, highlighting the dedicated efforts of twitchers who pursue rare birds, contributing to ornithological knowledge.

• Black-headed gull in Geraldton, Western Australia, caused excitement among birders
• Cocos booby, a newly recognized species, sparked significant twitching activity on NSW Central Coast
• Twitchers are birdwatchers who pursue rare birds, often traveling long distances for sightings
• Twitching has contributed to ornithology through field identification and understanding bird distribution