RARE VISITORS TO THESE PARTS — At left, a female anhinga drys her wings on the south side of the Erie Canal in Rome on Monday, April 24. The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means “devil bird” or “snake bird.” The origin of the name is apparent when swimming, as the male anhinga at right does Monday in the canal as only the neck appears above water so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. The birds normally winter near the equator and can be found in Florida and South Carolina, but are rarely found this far north. According to local birding enthusiasts, it is only the fifth confirmed sighting of the species in the state in the past several decades. Hundreds of people reportedly went to see a flock of 22 of the birds on Sunday, following word the wayward birds had arrived in the Copper City. By Monday, it appeared that only three intrepid anhingas remained on their northern adventure.