{"id":133166,"date":"2024-08-26T02:42:51","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T07:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=133166"},"modified":"2025-09-08T07:26:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T12:26:18","slug":"young-painted-bunting-surprise-visitor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/26\/young-painted-bunting-surprise-visitor\/","title":{"rendered":"Young Painted Bunting – Surprise Visitor"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was a surprise visitor at my friend Steve Creek’s bird bath<\/span><\/a> yesterday, it was a gorgeous young Painted Bunting that decided to spend some time in his yard.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung Painted Bunting at a bird bath \u2013 Canon R7, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 1250, +1.0 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 300mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When I first saw the bunting, I thought it was a migrating warbler. That was until I noticed the bird’s bill, which is too heavy for a warbler. A split second later, I realized that this was a bunting.<\/p>\n

As far as I can recall, I’ve only seen a few Indigo Buntings in Steve’s yard and just one adult male Painted Bunting. They were all too far away to photograph.<\/p>\n

\"PerchedPerched young Painted Bunting \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 1250, Canon 100-400mm at 360mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, this young bunting was within reach of the lens I was using! I’m grateful the bunting returned to the vine after being chased away from the bird bath by another small bird.<\/p>\n

I was focused on standing and photographing the immature bunting, unsure at the time whether it was a young Indigo or Painted Bunting.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> There’s time for identification after<\/em> I get the photos I want. I’m not going to take my eyes or camera off of the bird until then.<\/p>\n

\"FluffedFluffed up immature Painted Bunting \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 1250, Canon 100-400mm at 360mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took quite a few photos while the immature bunting was perched on this vine. The bunting gave us several different poses before it flew off again.<\/p>\n

When I uploaded my photos to my external hard drive, I was fairly certain that the young bunting was a Painted, so I double-checked the ID on Merlin<\/span><\/a>, the Cornell Bird App, to confirm my identification. Merlin suggested Painted too.<\/p>\n

This young Painted Bunting was a very nice surprise for both Steve and me. I hope it sticks around for a bit before the youngster continues migrating!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Painted Bunting photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There was a surprise visitor at my friend Steve Creek’s bird bath yesterday, it was a gorgeous young Painted Bunting that decided to spend some time in his yard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,27,15117,13951],"tags":[15008,14182,4897,6530,5817,4309,13931,4067,15118,15119,4104,2315,8018,11722,13966,4193],"class_list":["post-133166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-avian","category-painted-buntings","category-sebastian-county","tag-bird-bath","tag-birdbath","tag-branch","tag-bunting","tag-buntings","tag-fluffed-up","tag-garden","tag-immature","tag-painted-bunting","tag-passerina-ciris","tag-perched","tag-summer-3","tag-urban","tag-vine","tag-yard","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/painted-bunting-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-5372.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-yDQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":154802,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/09\/08\/immature-painted-bunting-getting-ready-to-migrate\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":0},"title":"Immature Painted Bunting Getting Ready To Migrate","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The last, and probably best, bird I saw and photographed yesterday at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge was a molting immature Painted Bunting.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Painted Bunting at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/painted-bunting-immature-mia-mcpherson-8058.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/painted-bunting-immature-mia-mcpherson-8058.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/painted-bunting-immature-mia-mcpherson-8058.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/painted-bunting-immature-mia-mcpherson-8058.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129106,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/29\/male-painted-bunting-at-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":1},"title":"Male Painted Bunting At Tishomingo NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 29, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I finally took a few photos of a perched male Painted Bunting that I am happy with at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge two days ago.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Perched male Painted Bunting at Tishomingo NWR, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Painted-Bunting-male-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Painted-Bunting-male-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Painted-Bunting-male-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2031.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Painted-Bunting-male-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2031.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":130466,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/07\/12\/female-or-possible-immature-male-indigo-bunting-at-sequoyah-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":2},"title":"Female Or Possible Immature Male Indigo Bunting At Sequoyah NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"When I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge two days ago, I was thrilled to have this female\/immature Indigo Bunting in my viewfinder for a few seconds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female or possible immature male Indigo Bunting on a log, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/indigo-bunting-female-immature-log-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-0641.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/indigo-bunting-female-immature-log-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-0641.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/indigo-bunting-female-immature-log-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-0641.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/indigo-bunting-female-immature-log-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-0641.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104434,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/21\/young-lazuli-bunting-in-a-serviceberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":3},"title":"Young Lazuli Bunting In A Serviceberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I escaped into the coolness of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning for a few hours. While I was there I photographed this young Lazuli Bunting.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lazuli Bunting juvenile in a serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/lazuli-bunting-immature-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6695.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/lazuli-bunting-immature-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6695.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/lazuli-bunting-immature-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6695.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/lazuli-bunting-immature-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6695.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":128229,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/04\/indigo-bunting-male-at-sequoyah-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":4},"title":"Indigo Bunting Male At Sequoyah NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This image shows a male Indigo Bunting singing on a wild grapevine in the morning. It was taken taken earlier this week at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Indigo Bunting singing on a wild grapevine, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/indigo-bunting-male-sequoyah-grapevine-mia-mcpherson-3892.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/indigo-bunting-male-sequoyah-grapevine-mia-mcpherson-3892.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/indigo-bunting-male-sequoyah-grapevine-mia-mcpherson-3892.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/indigo-bunting-male-sequoyah-grapevine-mia-mcpherson-3892.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129348,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/09\/male-indigo-bunting-in-the-shadows\/","url_meta":{"origin":133166,"position":5},"title":"Male Indigo Bunting in the shadows","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the birds I spotted and photographed on my last trip to Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge was this male Indigo Bunting in the shadows of the leaves.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Perched male Indigo Bunting in the shadows, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/indigo-bunting-shadows-glow-mia-mcpherson-3449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/indigo-bunting-shadows-glow-mia-mcpherson-3449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/indigo-bunting-shadows-glow-mia-mcpherson-3449.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/indigo-bunting-shadows-glow-mia-mcpherson-3449.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133166"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133166\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}