Adult male Pine Bunting. A beautiful individual. ^^

From the other side. The Pine Bunting was eating something that had fallen on the farm track or the ridge between paddies.

A Pine Bunting showing some wariness at my presence. This individual was quite alert, and getting this close took considerable effort. ^^;

The back of the Pine Bunting. In flight, the white outer tail feathers and the rufous-chestnut on the wings are very conspicuous. The bird in flight looked every bit an Emberiza. ^^

It poked its head out from the grass along the paddy ridge. It spent a lot of time tucked into the vegetation, and once lost it was quite a struggle to find again.

It landed on a distant paddy ridge.

The Pine Bunting was eating what appeared to be the dried stems of a grass plant visible in the photo.

On the farm track it was also eating dried grass stems.

How many years before I see one again? Could easily be ten or more years down the line… ^^;