© ABCRare Arctic bird, the Grey Phalarope, has been spotted in a Darwin sewerage pond years after it was last sighted in Australia
The grey phalarope, with its dirty white feathers, has been floating around the Leanyer sewage facility for the last few days.
Local bird watchers do not know how it got to Darwin, as it usually breeds in the Arctic tundra and there have been no sightings of it in Australia for years.
Experts speculate it broke away from pack of the migrating birds and got lost.
Twitchers from around the country are flying into the Territory today to get a rare glimpse of the bird.
But the owner of the site, Power and Water, has ruffled feathers with news it is barricading the sewerage ponds because of heavy rain and the arrival of a crocodile.
Power and Water says it would like to help the birdwatchers but the ponds must remain closed until safety concerns are addressed.
"Over this wet season there has been closures, we've also been undertaking de-sludging works which means there's heavy machinery around," John Pudney from Power and Water said.
"It's a difficult time for us, we'd really like to help out, but the safety of the public is fundamental."
Comment: For the last couple of months, across the northern hemisphere, extremely cold weather conditions have been driving many wintering Arctic and boreal bird species much further south than is usual. These include Snowy Owls recorded in Hawaii and Bermuda!! Additionally, many are turning up in unprecedented numbers. This all points to a probable return of the Ice Age. See also this selection: UK storms bring in rare Arctic gulls to Pembrokeshire
Storm blows Canadian bird 3,000 miles on to Tyrone lough, Northern Ireland
Bird watchers flock to Portland, UK after a rare Arctic Brunnich's Guillemot spotted
Ice Age Cometh: Snowy Owl invasion coming in North America?
Maine experiencing a Canadian owl invasion
Incredible Hawk Owl invasion in Estonia!
Huge Snowy Owl invasion becomes official in Canada and U.S.
Thousands of Hawk Owls descend on Finland as food in northern Russia runs out
Ice Age Cometh: Unprecedented influx of Arctic Ivory Gulls into UK