As attested to in these pages (here and here), I love the Northern Cardinal. Ya gotta love a bird that’s not afraid to be seen or heard. But, like all birds smaller than, say, a great blue heron, they’re a pain to photograph:
- They flit around, refusing to land.
- When they do land, it’s typically in the topmost branches of trees, challenging the power of my telephoto lens and the steadiness of my arms.
So when I do get a decent photo, as with this one on the Patagonia State Park bird walk in southern Arizona, I’m delighted.
I am smiling.
Your photo reminds me of my sabbatical in Ann Arbor. Those magnificent red birds would regularly come to the bird feeders outside our window.
A view definitely worth the cost of maintaining the seed supply. The squirrels were also appreciative of the seed supply. They would dive bomb the feeders to knock out the seeds. I wonder if the squirrels found a way to reward the red birds for attracting the seed supply from “man”. Perhaps “man” also enjoyed watching the flying squirrels despite having to repair the feeders and replenish the seed supply.
Dave – It’s a rare day that I don’t hear the cardinal’s whistle, although I don’t always see them. Magnificent is le mot juste, that’s for sure. I miss them when I’m back in Alberta.