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Categories: Nature

Cardinals rule!

When gardeners turn to birdwatching…

A favorite activity during the cold Iowa Winter months is chasing birds around with my camera! Well, not literally ‘chasing’ birds but sneaking up on them from behind at my living room and porch windows. With digital photography, one can shoot and shoot and shoot and sometimes get very up-close and personal or seen from far-away!

 

 

The vibrant red of the male Northern Cardinal is such a beautiful contrast with the Winter snow. But the dull red-brown shade of the female Cardinal emulates a beauty of her own. These Cardinals live in our woods all year round and are known as quite robust, seed-eating birds who fly in and out frequently to the feeders . ‘Robust,’ yes, that is certainly a fitting adjective to describe these birds!

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‘Robust’ as they may be, Cardinals do ‘share’ with others that flock at the feeders like Sparrows, Chickadees, Juncos and Woodpeckers.

 

 

 

 

And sometimes they are patient enough to even wait for their turn on top of the bird arbor or the nearby Shepherd’s hook.

 

 

 

During courtship, the Northern male Cardinal feeds seed beak-to-beak with the female. Unable to catch that on camera yet but I certainly have noticed a lot of ‘flirting’ going on between pairs! Check this, ‘Come hither’ look from this female.

 

 

Spring is here!

Sue Langley

Sue Langley, a passionate gardener and photographer lives and gardens with her husband and Corgi, Maggie on 7 acres just south of Yosemite, Zone 7 at 3000 feet. She manages the Flea Market Gardening Facebook page and website.

View Comments

  • Nancy Meyer says:

    Words can not begin to say how much I enjoy all of Jeanne's photos of her pretty birds. She has the knack of feeding and capturing on photos these beautiful birds. WOW ---<3 your work and a big thank you for sharing.

  • Genelle McDaniel says:

    Love your photos!

  • Cheryl York says:

    How beautiful these pictures are! The grandkids and I have been enjoying watching the red birds and other here today but haven't gotten any of that beautiful snow as hoped. Thank you for sharing these pictures!

  • Becky Shaul Norris says:

    Your pictures are the bomb. They are so much better than any of the pictures I find in bird books. You have always captured them in such beautiful poses. I love the birds, and all of your flowers and all the pictures you share Jeanne. You are such a positive asset to Flea market Gardening. I also love the way you always have something nice to say about most of the pictures posted on FMG. Keep up the beautiful work. I always look forward to seeing your pictures.

  • Such pretty birds, and you captured some wonderful photos of them. Especially that one of the two in the snowy tree. I had to look twice to see the female.

  • Nell Howard Stelzer says:

    Jeanne,you have amazing photos of the cardinals !! I always look forward to seeing your posts of them,it's like being there. We have three pair and I love to watch them. My husband has got some good photos,mine not so good.

  • Marie Niemann says:

    Absolutely beautiful photo's Jeanne, what a joy they must bring to you and put a smile on your face every day! Thank you for sharing with us a little corner of your feathered world. We don't have Cardinals here in Utah, so this would be a real treat for me to ever see them in person someday. In the meantime I'll enjoy them through you.

  • Stephie McCarthy says:

    These birds look like they could jump right off the screen and fly!

  • Beautiful!!!! Thank you for sharing.

  • Jeanne Sammons says:

    Thanks for commenting ...appreciated! We certainly do enjoy these beautiful birds all Winter long ... helps make Winter a littlebit shorter! Cardinals love Black Oil Sunflower Seeds & my hubby puts out suet & some other bird mix, too in our bird arbor plus we keep a heated small bird waterer open throughout the brrrrr...cold season!

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