Northern cardinal | Mike Powell

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Cardinal on the rocks

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, cardinal on the rocks, Cardinalis cardinalis, Huntley Meadows Park, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on March 26, 2023| 9 Comments »

It is always fun to photograph familiar subjects in an unexpected environment. This past week I spotted a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) amidst the rocks and other debris at the edge of the water at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge rather than in the vegetation where I normally see cardinals.

I was delighted to be able to capture a series of images as the cardinal moved about on the rocks and eventually made his way to the water. He dipped his head to take a drink, but his face was completely hidden from view, so I was not able to capture that moment.

On the whole, though, I really like the balance I was able to achieve in showing both the primary subject and the environment in which I found him—the brightness of the cardinal’s red body definitely helped him to stand out from the somewhat cluttered background and foreground despite the fact that he filled only a small part of the frame.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Male cardinal in March

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 8, 2023| 3 Comments »

Some birds blend in so well with their surroundings that it is hard to spot them. That is definitely not the case with the male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), whose bright red feathers announce his presence in even the most cluttered environment.

Last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I spotted this cardinal as he flew across the trail on which I was walking. Normally cardinals bury themselves in dense vegetation at ground level and it is tough to get a clear view of them. On this occasion, the cardinal perched on a fallen branch and briefly posed for me.

The first two images show off the cardinal’s beautiful red feathers really well, but the final photo is probably my favorite of the three. I love the way that the cardinal cocked his head to the side as he looked right at me—my dog used to look at me sometimes in the same pose with a similar mixture of puzzlement, curiosity, and amusement.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal in a maple tree

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 5, 2023| 5 Comments »

I was delighted to capture some images of a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) last Wednesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Although the cardinal was a bit scruffy in appearance, I found her to be quite attractive—I have always like the muted tones of the female cardinal, which does not stand out as much as her bright red male counterpart.

As you can see from the two photos, the cardinal was perched in a flowering tree, yet another sign that spring has almost arrived in Northern Virginia. I am not very good in identifying trees, but one of my Facebook friends suggested that it is a maple tree.

If you look closely at the final photo, you will see that the female cardinal was consuming some of the tiny seeds and/or flowers of the maple tree. I encourage you to click on that photo to get a closer look at the cardinal’s feeding activity.

UPDATE: One of my readers, Alan of New Hampshire Garden Solutions, noted that the flowers on this tree are male flowers of the American Elm Tree. Thanks for the help in correctly identifying the tree.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Foraging cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 30, 2023| 5 Comments »

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.

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Chubby Cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on December 27, 2022| 5 Comments »

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.

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Female Northern Cardinal

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on December 10, 2022| 1 Comment »

We seemed to have already moved into the winter cycle of cold, gray days, when the images that I do manage to capture have a real starkness about them. The absence of color in the environment, though, makes any color in my subjects really stand out.

When I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, most of the birds seemed hidden—I could hear them, but for the most part I had trouble spotting them. As I was walking along one of the trails, however, I heard some rustling in the underbrush and watched as a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) flew to a a perch amidst the vegetation.

My view of the female cardinal was partially obscured, but I managed to maneuver into a position from which I had a clear view of her head. I really like the way that I was able to capture some of the delicate details of this cardinal, like the tinges of red on the feathers of her crest, the fluffy feathers on her chest, and her extra long claws.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Punk rock cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, punk rock, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 2, 2022| 7 Comments »

This female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was sporting a spiky punk rock hairstyle when I spotted her on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Female cardinals do not have as many bright red feathers as their male counterparts, but I find them to be equally striking and arguably even more beautiful.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 28, 2022| 4 Comments »

There are signs that spring is on the way, but progress is slow and the bright spring blossoms and flowers have not yet appeared. The grey of winter continue to dominate, so it is especially energizing to spot brilliant colors, like those of this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

I am more than ready for the return of spring as February comes to a close. It won’t be long, I am sure, before I see my first crocuses and daffodils—I am keeping my eyes open for them.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Stand out or blend in?

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Melospiza melodia, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, song sparrow, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 11, 2022| 18 Comments »

Is it better to stand out and be seen or to blend in and remain invisible? As with so many life questions, the answer to my simple query is complicated and depends on your personality, priorities, and perspectives.

The male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) takes a bold approach—with his brilliant red plumage, it is almost impossible for him to hide. He want to be seen and often perches in the open. Perhaps that helps him to attract a mate, but does it also make him more visible to those that could do him harm? Is there a risk associated with being bold?

The sparrow in the second image, which I think is a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), takes an almost opposite approach—you almost can’t see it, especially when it is buried in the underbrush. Its nondescript coloration allows it to blend in? Does this bird feel more vulnerable? Is self-protection its primary motivation? Must it rely on non-visual factors, like its singing, to stand out?

What about you? How do you live your life? For most of my life, I have tended to favor conformity and security—I lived like the sparrow, fearful of standing out. Over the last decade of so, however, I have increasingly decided that the opinions of others don’t matter much anymore. I am now striving to live my life in an unapologetically authentic way and I am much more willing to put myself out there as visibly as the male cardinal.

Be bold today and be yourself. As the old proverb says, “you might as well be yourself—everyone else is already taken.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinals in the snow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, canon 50, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Runnymeade, Tamron 150-600mm on January 5, 2022| 18 Comments »

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.

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No guarantees

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Lorton VA, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Regional Park, Tamron 150-600mm on March 22, 2021| 18 Comments »

Wildlife photography is full of uncertainty—there are no guarantees of success. When I go out with my camera, I never know if I will find any subjects to photograph.

I stay alert and almost always something will appear, like this beautiful female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I spotted a week ago at Occoquan Regional Park.

Beauty is everywhere—sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find it.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Punk rock cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, punk rock, punk rocker, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 2, 2021| 22 Comments »

Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) often sport a Mohawk-style crest, but this female that I spotted last Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge seemed to have applied some extra gel to make her “hair” stand tall. Her outlandish look and defiant attitude make me think of a punk rocker. I looked closely at her body, expecting to see tattoos and body piercings, but as far as I could tell, there were none.

Rock on, my little punk rock cardinal, rock on.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Irritated cardinal?

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 27, 2021| 21 Comments »

I couldn’t help but feel that this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was irritated with me when he glared sideways at me as he momentarily ceased his pecking at water’s edge on Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. On the other hand, he might have simply been trying to pose in a way that minimized his double chin, about which he was very self-conscious. Have I committed a cardinal sin in my initial assessment?

What do you think? Have a wonderful weekend.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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A whiter shade of pale

Posted in Birds, Nature, wildlife, Winter, tagged A Lighter Shade of Pale, Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Procol Harum, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 15, 2021| 18 Comments »

There may not have been much snow on Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, but the whole world was a whiter shade of pale at water’s edge, except for this handsome male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Messy eater

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 28, 2021| 8 Comments »

I really like the subdued beauty of female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), although this one that I spotted last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge was such a messy eater that I wanted to pass her a napkin. The red coloration of male cardinals make them much easier to spot than females, but sometimes the red seems so bright that it is almost garish. The female has delicate accents of red that I find more refined and at least equally appealing.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Hope and happiness

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, happiness, hope, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 22, 2021| 45 Comments »

I love seeing Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) throughout the year, but especially during the dark days of winter when my senses are starved for bright colors. Many folks suffer from some degree of seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression related to changes in seasons that is characterized by fatigue, hopelessness, and social withdrawal. The current pandemic has undoubtedly exacerbated those symptoms. As most of you know, I find refuge in nature, and often a simple walk in the wild helps to lift me out of my gloom.

I spotted this handsome male cardinal last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. His brilliant red plumage immediately raised my spirits and brought a smile to my face. The world had not changed, but my attitude had improved.

It has become a bit of a cliché, but I really like the old adage, “You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.” As Phillip Kennicott noted in his commentary on the presidential inauguration in the Washington Post, “the funny thing about clichés is that, while we are by definition tired of them, it’s when we ourselves are exhausted — tired beyond measure, even broken into bits — that their power often takes us by surprise.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Splash of red

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on December 11, 2020| 11 Comments »

As the days become colder and the landscape turns monochromatic, I am always happy to spot the bright red plumage of a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), like this one that I photographed on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Autumn female cardinal

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on October 14, 2020| 12 Comments »

Although I really like the bright red color of the male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), there is something even more special about the subtle beauty of a female cardinal, like this one that I spotted last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The muted colors of this bird seem particularly appropriate for autumn in this area. The changing foliage here rarely has the brilliant yellows and reds found in other parts of the country, but transitions to paler shades before the leaves all fall to the ground.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Trying to hide

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 13, 2020| 17 Comments »

Do male Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) know that they are bright red in color? When I spooked one of them yesterday morning at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, he flew to a nearby field and perched in the midst of a mass of vegetation.

Did he think that he was hidden from me? Obviously he was not—his red coloration makes it almost impossible for him to blend in. I couldn’t help but think of a quotation that is attributed to Dr. Seuss, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” That’s probably a good question for all of us—as you can probably guess, I am somewhat of a non-conformist.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Bold markings

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 3, 2020| 11 Comments »

All female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) have traces of red feathers, but this one that I spotted last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge seemed to have bolder markings than most. Before I took her portrait, I could help noticing that she had seed remnants on her bill. I also can be a bit of a messy eater at times, so I am reluctant to allow anyone to photograph me while I am eating.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved

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Winter photograph published

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, Hearing Life Magazine, Hearing Loss Association of America, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Runnymeade, Tamron 150-600mm, Vincent Van Gogh on January 15, 2020| 32 Comments »

Last month I received a curious question from Cindy Dyer, my good friend and photography mentor—she asked me if I had any good winter images. In addition to being an amazing photographer, Cindy works as a graphic designer. The editor with whom she works on Hearing Life Magazine, the official magazine of the Hearing Loss Association of America, wanted a winter-related full-page original image for the January/February 2020 issue.

She knew that she did not have many snow images, but figured that I would. I gave her some options, and she chose this shot of a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I photographed in my neighborhood after a snowstorm last January. The editor loved this image as cardinals hold special significance to her—her late sister loved them—and added the quotation from Vincent Van Gogh, one of my favorite artists.

I was curious about the context of the quotation and learned from vangoghletters.org that it was from a letter that Vincent Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo from London in January 1874. Here is the paragraph of that letter than contains the quotation, “Things are going well for me here, I have a wonderful home and it’s a great pleasure for me to observe London and the English way of life and the English themselves, and I also have nature and art and poetry, and if that isn’t enough, what is?” As I read the letter in its entirety, I was equally struck by Van Gogh’s commentary about nature and art, “Always continue walking a lot and loving nature, for that’s the real way to learn to understand art better and better. Painters understand nature and love it, and teach us to see.”

I am always thrilled to see one of my images in print and I was excited yesterday when I finally received a printed copy of the magazine. One of my goals this year is to have more of my photos printed—I have a few of my favorites hanging on the wall already, but still have room for more of them. If you are interested in seeing the original posting in which this image appeared, click on this link to Cardinal in the snow.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal and sumac

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, sumac, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on November 3, 2019| 9 Comments »

It is normally hard for a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) to camouflage itself, but it seemed to blend in pretty well with the brilliant red leaves of these sumac plants last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Female cardinals in the snow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Runnymeade, Tamron 150-600mm on January 17, 2019| 14 Comments »

Female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) do not stand out as much as their bright red male counterparts, but their beauty is at a minimum comparable, albeit in a more dignified and understated way. The male cardinal is like a loud, raucous call, while the female is more like a soft, seductive whisper.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal in the snow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, cardinal in the snow, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Runnymeade, Tamron 150-600mm on January 16, 2019| 13 Comments »

Images of a bright red cardinal in the brilliant white snow—some might view such shots as a bit cliché, but I view them instead as iconic. I ventured out into my neighborhood earlier this week after the snow had stopped falling and was thrilled to find a small group of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis). They spent most of their time buried in the branches, but eventually I was able to capture some unobstructed images of some male cardinals.

Although I like the details of the second shot, the first shot really draws me in by presenting a better depiction of the snowy environment. In some parts of the country this is a typical winter scene, but here in Northern Virginia, this is the biggest snow storm we have had since 2016, so it was pretty unusual to have this kind of photo opportunity.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal in January

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 13, 2019| 14 Comments »

I love male Northern Cardinals in the winter. They add such a wonderful pop of bright color on a cloudy day, like yesterday when I took this shot, or on a snowy day like today (when I hope to see one in my neighborhood).

I spotted this Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) while exploring Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my current favorite spot for walking about with my camera. We have already had about 6 inches (10 cm) of snow and more is falling, so I probably will not make it out of the neighborhood today. The streets are not yet clear and people in this area tend to drive even more crazily than normal when there is snow.

I took a number of shots of the cardinal while he was perched in a distant tree. Although he remained relatively stationary, he kept changing his tail position, so I decided to include shots with different “poses.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal in November

Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on November 29, 2018| 13 Comments »

Sunshine and bright colors have been in short supply during the month of November. We have already broken the all-time record for rainfall in November in our area and will break the record for rainfall in a year if we have one more inch (25mm) of rain by 31 December.

I was therefore absolutely thrilled when I spotted this bright red male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) high in a tree at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week. Unlike so many other birds that try to blend in with their surroundings, the cardinal seems bold and self-assured—it is not at all hard to spot them, though they often bury themselves in the middle of bushes, so getting an unobstructed shot can be quite a challenge.

Comparatively speaking, this cardinal was cooperative and posed for a short while before finally taking off. His head was in constant motion, but eventually I was able to capture an image with the head in a decent position. Even with human subjects, I find it tough to shoot a portrait in which the head and eyes are in a natural and pleasing pose.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Coy cardinal

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 10, 2018| 12 Comments »

I never get tired of taking photos of ordinary birds, like this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I spotted yesterday Initially the cardinal turned his head slight and peeked at me over his shoulder. Eventually he ended up giving me a better view, though it did seem like he was either shy or coy.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Balance and flexibility

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, female Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 19, 2018| 3 Comments »

I never cease to be amazed by the balance and flexibility of birds, like this female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that managed to reach down and grab some poison ivy berries this past Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I am probably going to return to that refuge today, because I am not sure if it will be open in the upcoming days if there is a shutdown of the federal government.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Not hidden

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 18, 2018| 5 Comments »

As this male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) stared at me Monday from within a bush, I couldn’t help but wonder if he thought he was camouflaged. It is hard to hide that bright red color.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal and berries

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 10, 2018| 2 Comments »

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.

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Cardinal in the snow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 50D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on January 6, 2018| 10 Comments »

It is always a joy to see the bright red color of a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), especially during the winter, when the world seems almost monochromatic. I spotted this one yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge as he pecked about in the drifted snow. We have had only a small amount of snow, but the weather has remained steadfastly below freezing, so it has stayed with us for an extended period of time.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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