#WW A single cardinal
Howdy, Kittens & Dawgs! Life after a month of A2Zing is slowly returning to normal. At the end of February, I spied a gorgeous cardinal outside my kitchen window. I was certain by the time I returned with my camera and appropriate lens in hand he would be gone but he wasn’t. My cleaning fairies were on strike, so pardon the image quality it isn’t the best shooting through a dirty window but I got the shot and let those fairies go shortly after. lol
Isn’t he a beauty?
I think he was looking for his mate but she was no were insight. It’s magnificently vivid color stands out against the gray winter morning inciting a bit of glee in this gal. A flash of bright colors really makes the world cheery, doesn’t it?
Birds are difficult to capture and I’m always amazed at the talented bird photographers’ sites I’ve visited. I tip my hat to them. Incidentally, earlier in the month, he returned to our backyard with his mate. They were perched in a redbud tree but I couldn’t get my camera in time for that picture.
What views are in your lens?
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33 Comments
stevebethere
Wow! great shot and view from your kitchen window mine looks out to a telephone exchange and a main road LOL ..that’s London for ya heheh!
Have a cardinaltastic weekend Cathy and sorry I am so late this week 🙂
Linja
Nice bright bird! I don’t see the dirt. I think if you press the camera on the glass, the dirt doesn’t show unless it’s a big piece. I’ve got spider webs on the outside of my window right now so I need to clean them.
Cathy Kennedy
Linja, Hmmm, I wasn’t pressing against the glass but I was really close with a telephoto lens so maybe that’s why the dirt isn’t visible. Thanks for stopping by!
15andmeowing
Those are great shots of the cardinal.
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks, Ellen! It was a lucky break for me. 🙂
John Holton
I grew up in Illinois, where the state bird is the cardinal, but in all my years there I never saw one. Since moving to Georgia, I’ve seen hundreds of them, male and female. Beautiful pictures.
Cathy Kennedy
John,
That’s interesting my home state of West Virginia’s state bird is also the cardinal. Tennessee’s state bird is a mockingbird. I don’t like these birds because they’ll attack you if you get close to their nest. I remember being at a shopping plaza on the west side of town. I walked by a small grove of trees and this bird came out from nowhere scaring the lie out of me. That’s when I learned that mockingbirds were notorious for having this behavior. Thanks for stopping by today!
John Holton
Their way of mocking you, huh?
Cathy Kennedy
John,
Their mocking is terrorizing! They nearly gave me a heart attack. That’s a bit of an exaggeration but I felt like I was in an Alfred Hitchcock film. 🙂
John Holton
That would make you Tippi Hedren…
Cathy Kennedy
John,
Yeah, that’s me without the platinum blond hair. 🙂
Arlee Bird
Beautiful shots. I used to see cardinals in my mother’s yard in Maryville. I don’t know if there are cardinals in California, but I’ve never seen one here.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Josie Two Shoes
This was lovely! Cardinals are so striking, and are said to be a sign of being visited by dear ones who have passed. 🙂
Josie Two Shoes
Ugh, bad link, let’s try that again… Josie Two Shoes
Cathy Kennedy
Josie,
I hadn’t heard that saying before about cardinals. Now when I see a cardinal I will think of this saying and it’s sure to give me comfort. 🙂
messymimi
Cardinals are a favorite here, although they seldom stay still for long.
Cathy Kennedy
Messymimi,
We have cardinals in the area all year round and we’re fortunate to see them more frequently at certain times of the year than others. I’m not sure what’s the determining factor unless there’s something in our back yard they like to eat. Whenever they do show it’s always a pleasure. We used to see bluejay a lot but we don’t see them too often.
Mommyhood Land Blog
Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!
Cathy Kennedy
Mommyhood,
Thank you for your kind words and visit. I’ll hop by to see you soon!
pam
Yes birds are hard to catch….they tend to fly about the time I snap! Great catch on this beauty though.
Cathy Kennedy
Pam,
Oh, I’ve had that to happen plenty of times but usually, when I’m home they fly off while I’m fetching my camera. I can leave it out hoping it’ll return but never does. I lucked out this time, though.
Patrick Weseman
That is such a beautiful photo. Thanks for sharing. Love it.
Cathy Kennedy
Patrick,
It’s my pleasure to share and I’m happy that I got a couple of decent shots. It seems like I darted away after taking these shots to get a longer lens but when I returned he was gone. That’s the story of my life. lol
Shilpa Arya
He is so handsome Cathy.Lucky you he stayed till you got ur camera and brighten up your day
Cathy Kennedy
Shilpa,
Yes, I was really luckily that he stayed around long enough for me to get my camera and a chair. I had to elevate myself so I could shoot out the top window pane. Thanks for visiting!
McGuffy's Reader
Beautiful! We have a couple pairs of Cardinals year-’round. They are so active, too!
I am linked today! Thanks for the reminder. *wink* Hugs!
Cathy Kennedy
Annie,
I’m delighted you joined me today. There’s too much thick foliage in our backyard now but I’m sure the pair of Cardinals I saw made a home nearby. I’m looking forward to the day that I can create a place in my yard for birds to feed so I can watch and photograph. Who knows maybe I’ll get pictures of some squirrel, too.
LittleItaly2008 (@LittleItaly2008)
What an amazing photo of the cardinal. I’m a huge bird lover and bird watcher, but I can never seem to capture them on film like you have. Great job!
Cathy Kennedy
Amy,
Birds capture my eye but I rarely get a chance to photograph them. I got lucky this time. I admire anyone who photographs birds because of how hard I know that catching the at the right moment. Thanks for stopping by and linking up, my friend!
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Great going, dear friend! You snapped two excellent shots of the lone cardinal visiting your yard. The brilliant red plumage pops against the wintry background. Your pics remind me of my father’s nature photography.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, dear friend Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
A cardinal really pops against the gray of winter and it’s always such a thrill to see. Usually late winter, we begin seeing more colorful birds serving a reminder that spring will arrive soon. Thank you for comparing my nature photos to your father’s. 🙂 Have a good afternoon!
Birgit
This is a great shot! I think he was wanting his picture taken:) I don’t see any dirty window in sight. Now I have to check out your last drawings for the A to Z. Thoroughly enjoyed your creativity and hope to see more.
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit, I’m glad my dirty window wasn’t picked up but I’m sure if the photo was enlarged (please don’t – lol) it wouldn’t look as clear. lol It’s funny you should mention that he wanted his picture taken. DH said something along that line. He’s always saying something sweet like that to me. 🙂