An adult Sandhill crane was seen in Bermuda for the first time.

Some 20 Audubon Society members, who were participating in an international bird watch on Paget Island this weekend, spotted the bird around noon on Saturday.

"This species breeds in northern Canada right up to the Arctic,'' Bermuda Audubon Society Mr. Andrew Dobson said. "It winters in the south of the US and Central America so it's not impossible that is should be here, but it's never been here.'' Mr. Dobson said he suspected that the bird, which is larger than a heron and is grey with a red stripe on its crown, was thrown of course by bad weather.

But he said this usually happened to the young ones, not adults.

Anyone who spots the bird is asked to contact the Audubon Society on 236-6483 or 293-6153.

World Bird Watch 1993 was organised by Cambridge, UK-based organisation Bird Life International in more than 50 countries.

Noting that this was the peak migration period, Mr. Dobson explained that World Bird Watch aims to publicise the need to conserve threatened birds and habitats.

"Some of the migrating birds we may see are endangered,'' he said. "Bermuda needs to maintain feeding grounds for these species.'' Those who participated in the watch contributed to the international bird count, that will be compiled based on sightings worldwide at the weekend.