The morning started out cool and dew-drenched as we headed to Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen to hopefully get a better look at their immature male Blue Bunting. I think as the season has gone on this bird is slowly losing the brown of an immature bird - getting bluer. (And again, this is not an Indigo Bunting, it is a larger, bluer and much rarer bird). No matter, bird or not, there was breaking sun and the forecast was for warmer.
I really hate taking photos of birds on artifical feeders, but sometimes to see the bird you just have to bite the bullet, sit down with a view of a feeding station and wait. So we settled our backsides down to try to warm up some night-chilled rock benches. And waited. The weather was sunny and warming, and we found a couple of rocks beside John and Ed, winter birders we have known for a few years. The rumor was that the Bunting had been sighted earlier and left, but we were hopefully - it seemed just a matter of time. John and I were talking birds, climate, floods, violent weather, etc. After an hour or more, Ed said he needed to pee off his morning coffee and he walked off to find the restroom. Whereupon John said, "When Ed gets back let's all say the bird showed up while he was gone." As if on cue, as if by magic, the bird immediately appeared on the far feeder. Lorna, John and I got as many photos as we wanted. click, click, click, click.
The sunlight and shadow contrast was a little harsh, the bird was at some distance, but damn! it was a Blue Bunting out in plain view! Eventually it left ... and Ed returned.
1 comment:
Yep. That photo is a keeper! Poor Ed....
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