The greenish warbler, pictured, has been seen in trees on the Headland, in Hartlepool, and is attracting numerous birdwatchers.
George Smith, who is a member of the Summerhill Bird Club, said: "I saw the bird on Sunday for the first time in my life.
"There is only ever five or six of them in the country at any one time. They tend to be spotted along the east coast and only end up in England because the wind blows them off course and they lose all sense of direction."
George, who lives on the Brooke estate and has two young sons who are also keen birdwatchers, added: "The Headland has very few trees and any rare birds tend to be seen in the ones near the Borough Hall and St Mary's Church.
"I have known there to have been 20 or 30 birdwatchers on the Headland looking for rare birds and some even come from as far as Manchester and Leeds."
He said the bird, which feeds on insects, may have been seen by non bird-watchers, but added, "The average man in the street would probably think it was a common sparrow."