Rare Bird Alert

When the Painted Bunting appeared in our area recently, I signed up for the rare bird alert. The Bunting seems to be getting everyone's attention, but I was also seeing reports of Evening Grosbeaks at Riley's Lock along the C&O canal, so this morning, when my husband went for his run at that location, I tagged along.  

There were quite a few birders and photographers, so it wasn't hard to find the location which I would have never found on my own.  They were 11 males and 1 female, very high up in the trees on the other side of the canal.  These shots are heavily cropped and I didn't get a shot of the female, but I was still very pleased and have loaded a couple of others into the extras.   I have never seen this bird before.  I believe it is usually found much further north.