I love the quirky, almost abstract feel of this image of a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I captured last Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The cardinal was foraging at water’s edge in the debris left behind by the receding tide.
One of the things that I most like about this shot is the contrast between the warmth of the color of the cardinal and the cool colors of the background. That contrast really helps the cardinal to “pop,” although male cardinals stand out in almost any circumstance during the winter, when gray tones seem to dominate and bright colors are exceedingly rare.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Love his colour.
Thanks, Tricia. Cardinals are always a welcome sight throughout the year, but even more so during the winter. One of my “dream” scenarios is to photograph cardinals in the snow, when I can capture images like this one https://michaelqpowell.com/2015/02/24/cardinal-in-the-snow/ .
Gorgeous.
I love seeing the Cardinals in winter because they brighten up the landscape. There was a male on our feeder yesterday and I spotted him immediately as soon as I stepped outside.
Some birds blend in with their environments, but the male cardinal is almost guaranteed to stand out no matter where he is. I am thrilled that they stay with us all winter long.