All Spring we’ve had a great variety of feathered visitors to our feeder and back yard but today was special. This morning we’d seen the hummer, the grosbeak, the purple finches along with chipping and white-throated sparrows but just before lunch, I glanced out a the apple tree and saw a blue blob that can only be one thing up here: an Indigo Bunting. What a special treat — I think it’s the first here since we’ve been keeping records.
First Indigo Bunting we’ve seen on our property.
I got Mary to the window as another one showed up. The camera and binoculars were out in the truck so I scooted to get those while Mary watched our visitors move about the tree.
Two boys in blue looking for love.
Just as I was trying to capture a couple of shots, a third male showed up. I grabbed this photo of all three in the tree.
Can you see the third one?
They soon flew off together to a White Pine and then departed. I figured that was it. However, later this afternoon, two showed up in the tree and one came to the thistle feeder, to the dismay of the American Goldfinches who consider that their restaurant.
We did not see any females and I doubt that buntings will stay since most of our land is very wooded and they like more open spaces but you never know.
It was such a surprise and such a delight to see these handsome dudes. Unlike the brown flycatchers and sparrows that can drive me nuts, these guys are my kind of bird: flashy and unmistakeable.
Love your posts. Keep up the good work.
beautiful pictures
Beautiful! Thanks so much!
We got a pair of these beauties the same day you saw yours. I saw the first one and was desperately hoping it would return so my wife would see it – this bird is the one she’s been dreaming of since she first saw it in our Audubon field guide. Well, they’re now regular visitors to our feeder in Newport, VT.
We’ve named them Ogden and Oliver.
Great names! Ours moved on. Glad yours are hanging around
We don’t get all cutesy and name every gosh-darn feathered or flying critter that turns up in our backyard. BUT!, when it’s obvious it’s a particular bird or something, we name it so we can say, “Honey, get over here – Ashley and Leslie are back!”
Heads up on another amazing discovery: there’s actually a film with birding as the main backdrop for the action. “The Birders Guide to Everything” is a small little film about a group of high school kids dealing with things. It’s not your generic “horny teens looking for action” flick. It’s got Ben Kingsley in it – yeah, that Gandhi fella – and birding is shown in a way that indicates a lot of research went into getting things right.
I watched it on Amazon but it’s probably “streamable” through other legitimate sources.