When the weather gets really cold, many small birds fluff up their feathers to try to retain as much of their body heat as possible. As a result, a lot of them look rounder than usual, like this handsome male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I spotted last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Some birds have duller plumage during non-breeding times of the year, like the winter, but male cardinals shine bright throughout the year. Even though they often forage in deep vegetation, it is pretty easy to spot a male Northern Cardinal, though it is often a challenge to get a clear shot of one.
I had been following this one for quite a while when he finally popped out into the open and perched on a branch. Although he was facing me when I took the shot, he seemed to be keeping his eye on something to the side. If you look closely at the time of the little branch to the side of the cardinal, you may notice that it has a pointed red tip, an almost perfect match for the cardinal’s crested head.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
What a lovely photo to greet me as I enjoy my morning tea. My favourite bird. We have a pair who visit the shrubs outside our kitchen window regularly. I’ve been trying to snap a photo but, you’re right, it’s hard to get a good shot.
Thanks, Michelle. I used to take if for granted that cardinals were common throughout the United States. Several years ago, though, one of my subscribers noted to me that cardinals are not found in the Western part of the us, so she really liked it when I posted photos of cardinals. So often we take for granted the beauty of common things, forgetting that “common” is a relative term. In the gray days of winter, I especially appreciate the bold, bright color of the male cardinal and the equally beautiful coloration of the female cardinal.
So beautiful.
It looks as if the shoot is a mirror, now you point it out.
What a handsome fellow! He looks like he’s on fire.