The Holy Grail of Birds

The Florida bird guidebooks all show a multi-colored finch known as the painted bunting. This bird has a blue head, green wings and an orange-red breast. It looks as if nature used its purist spectral colors in designing this bird.

This bunting is not common. A neighbor had told me that 20 years ago there were some sightings in the neighborhood. We have been here for 12 years. I have never seen a male painted bunting (here or anywhere). A couple of years ago I did see a female …a grayish-green bird.

This morning I noticed a bird on the feeder that looked different. It was early light and the colors were muted. I picked up the binoculars. The colors were just identifiable: blue head, green wings, reddish breast. I started shaking.

He was gone before I could reach my camera but I had identified him. My first male painted bunting sighting here or anywhere.

He returned when the light was brighter and I captured the following. Sorry it is not a great photograph…remember the camera was shaking…