I participate in a Texas gardening forum and many of us
who live in central and north central Texas have reported seeing Indigo Buntings for the first time this year. From what I can tell after reading a bit on their normal migratory patterns, it seems they usually travel further east of us, flying from their winter home in Central America, over the Gulf waters and landing in southeastern Tx and Louisiana before continuing north.
It has been reported that they travel according to the stars (though they might also respond to earth's magnetic field).
So what does it all mean? Are they following the land up through Central America and Mexico this year or are they still flying over the Gulf? And why are they further west?

BTW - It IS normal to see Painted Buntings in this central region of Texas.

These birds migrate to Mexico, Central and South America in the winter, then return north to their breeding grounds in eastern North America and southern Canada.