Rare blue-footed booby appears in NM

CONCHAS LAKE, N.M. (KRQE) - Dozens are flocking to Conchas Lake to see the blue-footed booby, after a recent sighting of the rare bird.

About 100 people have made the trip to the northeastern New Mexico lake since Steve Peterson spotted the bird on Aug. 15.

“We saw it over by the dam,” Peterson said.

He took some pictures of the bird but they don’t look like normal pictures of the creature. As it turns out, the bird is so young that it doesn't have its trademark blue feet yet.

The bird is not supposed to be here, and the avian oddity has only been seen by a few spectators so far.

“I didn't see it.” Lannios Neely said.

Bird watcher Peter Derven said he thinks he knows why the bird wasn’t out Tuesday afternoon.

“This is probably siesta time for him, he is probably digesting a fish somewhere off in the boonies," Derven said.

The blue-footed bobby is native to the Galapagos Islands.

Many have speculated that sea bird got drastically off course, took a left turn in Albuquerque and somehow ended up at the lake.

Jeanine Zenge was one of the lucky few to catch a glimpse.

“I saw a blue-footed booby for about three seconds," she said.

There is no telling how long the bird will hang around. Officials said they are just excited about the boost in business for the lake.

This is the first time a blue-footed booby has been seen in New Mexico.