At Last a Photo of the Elusive Blue Bunting 2/24

A male Blue Bunting has inhabited Frontera since January 31.  He was followed by herds of birders for the first week. Since then, birders have flown driven and  in tour groups have flocked to the small heavily thicketed woodland.  I saw it early on with Paul and Carolee but it was mostly a shadow bird for me.  The Bunting does not seem to like crowds so many birders see it by themselves or with a few others. Since Bill put in a shallow dish under a leaky water valve, it has been frequently seen there. You just have to wait for it. A couple from Kansas had waited for 30 years and a man well into his 90s got it after sitting on my new stool for 2 hours. Ken flew in from Washington to make his 815th lifetime bird.  Later I went back to the favored place and sat for a few minutes and then there was a rustling. First the female Painted Bunting came to the water. It replaced by the Blue Bunting. Like the lady said, I did my happy dance or at least I raised the stool in the air when I saw G. 

Painted Bunting - female 

 Blue Bunting - male

We were lucky enough to see the Grooved-billed Ani  again.   I photographed what 

I thought was a warbler but it was a Blue-headed Vireo.  It was a Grand Bunting Day! 

                                                              Blue-headed Vireo