Friday’s Feathered Friends-Northern Cardinal Male

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Copyright ©2022 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DO NOT USE MY IMAGES WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION!

Hello! I’m back from taking a short blogging break. I have a few exciting things to share but, I haven’t been able to turn my mind to writing about them or processing my images yet. When I got home from my latest trip I came home to find #1 Grandson here for a summer visit!! He’s staying until next week then we’ll take him home. His school resumes in late August! It seems like summer is going by too fast. Already it’s dark here by 8:30 P.M.!

I’m so far behind processing and sharing images I fear I’ll never catch up, but let’s go back to my trip to Illinois which was in July this year. The day after my son’s wedding I went birding and He-Man came along for the walk, while we were at The Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center I ran into a birder and we got to chatting about birds we’d each seen so far that morning, and I asked him if he’d seen any Northern Cardinals in the area and he said he had just up the trail!! We were off on the hunt. It wasn’t long too long after that I saw a red streak fly by in the trees ahead. I raced forward, He-Man raced forward as now he too was excited and on the hunt!! I saw it dive into the bushes but, couldn’t see it then suddenly it flew up to a dead tree snag and perched!!!

Northern Cardinal-Male

I’ve been dreaming of seeing this bird for what seems my whole life…more so since I started birding more seriously in 2010. Can you see me doing my happy dance? 💃💃 I still am so excited to have finally see this beautiful bird! One day I hope to see the Female so that’s still on my list.

Northern Cardinal-Male

I saw one other “Lifer” here at this Nature Center that I’ll be sharing soon, and I’ll be telling you all about my trip to Wyoming where I met up with Janet from This, That, and the Other Thing!!

I hope this finds you all well, you have a wonderful week-end!

Fuji X-T3| Fujinon 100-400mm @ 400mm| PS CC 23.4.2

more to come…

61 thoughts on “Friday’s Feathered Friends-Northern Cardinal Male”

  4. I am smiling, Deborah, so happy for you to see your first male northern cardinal. I grew up with them in the midwest but in moving to Calif. decades ago, I only see them when I visit other places now. And I do miss them. So I enjoyed your two marvelous photos here, and loved hearing about your adventure and subsequent happy dance. Looking forward to the other Lifer mystery bird you saw….

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  7. Pingback: Friday’s Feathered Friends-Northern Cardinal Male – Monegasque

  9. I am happy for you Deborah! I am also surprised that the cardinal is a first for you. Have you lived in the West all your life. Cardinals were common and frequent visitors to the feeder back in South Jersey. Come to think of it … I don’t think I’ve seen any since here for 7 years. I’m up to look at the range map in the bird book right now! Great shots!

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  11. Hi Deborah, it sounds like you had a wonderful trip. And more joy was waiting for you when you got home. Cardinals are my favorite bird, but yours are a bit different. The wings and back are a dusty red, not a bright red, right? I’m delighted you saw this bird!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jennie! We had a great time in IL, and I had a great time in WY. Sadly it’s time to for #1 Grandson to get back home as school will be starting up soon.

      As for the difference in coloring… I really have no idea but, I know it’s based on the food they eat so maybe there’s a clue there as to why the red is a bit different. Different duet? I am still so happy to have seen a real one! 😀

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      1. I’m sure #1 had a grand time. And, I had not thought about the food birds eat making a difference in coloring. That’s very interesting. Bottom line- you saw a beautiful cardinal!

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  15. I am so excited for you having finally seen your first cardinal!! Although you may not have seen her, it is very likely the female wasn’t far away. It isn’t often we see one without the other. It’s a beautiful photo you captured. How generous of him to pose for you 🙂

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  20. How wonderful Deborah, you found the Cardinal together and it is a lifer. We enjoy finding new birds together, it is exciting in the chase to try and get a good view, often of a very difficult and non compliant little creature that hides itself. Hope you have a wonderful time with your grandson they are precious times, and opportunities I am sure for training the next generation to appreciate our birds. Our younger ones love going out on our ‘adventures’ as one calls it. The Cardinal is such a bright bird, it almost looks orange in one photo, as I am use to to the male being red. Like you, I have weeks of post processing to do still on our recent month away, but life, which is more important, gets in the way.

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    1. Thank you so much, Ashley! He-Man gets into it when I give him a bird to look for so you know that’s what I’ll be doing. 😀

      I think the one that looks more orange on the breast and face is because he was facing the morning sun, then he’d moved to another perch away from the sun in the second image where his red coloring is more like what you’re recalling.

      I hope you have a lovely week-end!

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  24. The cardinal is our state bird, (Virginia, USA) and they are a constant daily visitor to our yard and feeder. I’m watching a female at this very moment. Glad you’ve checked the male off your list.

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    1. Thank you so much, Pit!! I wish he was closer. He was past my 400mm range so it’s cropped a bit. I wish they were in my yard!! I’ll be rooting for you to get that picture of one you have in your head! I know you will! 😀

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