The berries looked dried up and unappetizing to me, but to the male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I spotted last Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, they provided much needed nourishment on a frigid winter day.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Another lovely cardinal photo. You are on a roll with fantastic captures of cardinals. I love the warmth of the background and how that supports the bold red of the bird. I like seeing the beak nibbling on the berries too.
Thanks, Laura. I love the way that you are able to describe my photos in artist terms–I am striving to produce photos manage to capture a moment in a distinctive way that has an artistic component. As a result I find myself paying more attention to things like colors and backgrounds.