An Afternoon Of Song

The Lazuli Bunting continue in the Boundary Bay area by the airport.

Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting

They are not hard to locate. There are at least two males singing regularly. Their song is fairly loud and they can be heard some distance away.

The afternoon had no shortage of song, but no others cooperated quite like this one.

Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow

This Song Sparrow was singing its little heart out while allowing for this close-up.

Cedar Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing

A pleasant surprise before leaving was this Cedar Waxwing. The first I’ve seen in a while.

Lazuli Bunting

When I was out in the Boundary Bay area a few days ago I lucked out with some nice shots of a Western Wood-pewee. I was also there that day, and couple of afternoons since, looking to see if something else was going to show up in the area again this year.

Yesterday my efforts payed off, the Lazuli Buntings were back. I only ever saw a single bird at any one time, but did hear at least two. Like last year, they were skittish and would fly off when approached. So I spent some time just watching and listening to where they going. To determine if there were certain spots they would return to or favoured.

On arriving this afternoon I noted one of the Lazuli Bunting in a tree I saw it go to a couple of times the day before. So when it was gone I moved in and set up. The plan being to let the bird come to me and not chase them from tree to tree.

Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting

Well the plan worked,

Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting

… the only problem being you have to take what you get.

Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting

I never quite got a clear shot. There were always some other branches in the way. Even more frustrating one time, it sat and sang out of sight on the other side of the tree for over ten minutes.

American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch

Other visitors to the tree in between Bunting visits were this American Goldfinch,

Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird

… and this Rufous Hummingbird.

At least the Lazuli Buntings are back and will be worth future visits.