This Distance Pulls at the Breath

So an old high school friend of J.'s sent him an email the other day with an interesting story . A painted bunting seems to have taken up residence in his friend's mother's yard in southern New Jersey. What makes the story interesting is that this type of bird lives exclusively in the southern U.S., the very far south. This is the northernmost sighting, ever, of this particular bird. His presence has caused quite a stir, a ruckus almost, among bird watchers and preservation groups, particularly the Audubon Society, and now friend's mother's yard is under constant watch by many people. No one is sure quite why he's gotten himself out of his "natural" habitat. Me, while I am in awe of the bunting's obvious beauty , I am also a bit sad for him. Most certainly he will never find a mate way up there and will likely live a lonely existence, indeed.