Yesterday afternoon I trudged through the snow in the wooded areas of my townhouse community and was thrilled to spot a few birds. The sun was shining brightly and the skies were blue, but the temperatures never really rose above the freezing level.
It felt invigorating to be outdoors, though I must admit that I felt a little self-conscious skulking about behind my neighbors’ houses with a camera with a long lens. However, nobody called the police to report a peeping Tom, so I guess that I was ok.
When it comes to iconic shots of birds in the snow, nothing beats the impact of a bright red Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The only problem was that I could not find one. Fortunately I was able to spot an equally stunning female cardinal that appeared to be basking in the warmth of the sunlight. I had to maneuver about quite a bit to get a clear shot of her, but am pretty happy with the composition that I was able to get, especially in the first photo that captured some of her personality.
Eventually I did find a male cardinal, but he was not very cooperative. I could see his color clearly—it is impossible to hide when you are that brightly colored—but branches kept me from getting a clean shot. The final image shows the only unobstructed view I could get of the cardinal when I was almost directly below him as he steadfastly ignored me and refused to look down at me. Still, I really like the shot, which has an abstract feel to it that I find really appealing.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
The Classic winter shot, Cardinal in snow. 👏👏.
The subject is classic, Ted, but I didn’t quite get the poses that I was hoping for with the male cardinal. I was looking to get something more like the image in this posting from years ago. https://michaelqpowell.com/2015/02/24/cardinal-in-the-snow/
Mike, your 2015 image is a beauty in that classic sense, but I like these as well in the birds’ natural environment. Maybe because I have never taken what I’d call a great image of a Cardinal. I see a lot of them but like your recent subjects they have not been cooperative—butt shots, sticks over the eye…you know the drill!
I definitely know the drill. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to capture the most familiar birds in interesting ways. Every opportunity is unique in its combination of environment, light, and behavior, so I just keep shooting, never know for sure when things will “click” perfectly.
And sometimes it’s when you least expect it!
Oh so pretty, Mike!
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Your intrepid adventure is much appreciated, Mike. Lovely to see these crystal clear photos, cardinals in the snow, and that stunning blue sky as background is wonderful.
Thanks, Jet. The sunshine and blue skies definitely lifted my spirits and provided a beautiful backdrop for my neighborhood adventure. It was really enjoyable too to hear all the laughter of the neighborhood kids as they played in the snow.
I received a christmas card this year that is a detail of an oil painting by Andree Ruellan, American, 1905-2006 entitled Winter visitors. Look it up. Very similar to your photo. Happy New Year!!!!
Cardinals in the snow really are such a classic subject and I am not surprised to see that painters are attracted to them as much as photographers. I did find a cardinal image by Ruellan that is probably the one that you referenced and was intrigued to read about her life and works as an artist. She adopted quite a few different painting styles during her long career. Happy New Year to you, Sally, and to your whole family.
Very colorful Mike!
Beautiful and interesting photos! My backyard has a few pairs of these lovely birds visiting the feeders every day. Since childhood I have always had a fondness for the female cardinal’s coloration, especially the red beak which stands out more than on the male. One of the many newsletters that Benjamin and I followed is from the American Bird Conservancy. I still do! You might be able to Google their December 10, 2021 “Backyard Beauty : Surprises and Secrets of Female Cardinals” by Rebecca Heisman which might be of interest to you. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!
Thanks, Ellen. I managed to find that article pretty easily and was fascinated and delighted by the info and the photos in the article. I had no idea that males and females collaborated so much and that they both displayed and sang during courtship. I was utterly amazed by the photo of the “bilateral gynandromorph”–it sure would be cool to see one like that in person.
You are very welcome! I am so glad that you were able to locate the column. I am also quite pleased that you found it entertaining and informative as well. Wouldn’t you love to have the opportunity to not only see but also to photograph that “bilateral gynandromorph”? Thank-you, Mr. Mike!
FYI, this is a link to the version of the article that I was able to find. https://abcbirds.org/blog21/female-cardinals/
Wonderful!
Thanks, Louella.
Cardinals really stand out even more in the snow! We don’t have these birds in our part of the world so it is a treat to get your post, Mike!