I’m tremendously fortunate to have lots of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) around the house.

I used to see one very occasionally in Chicago, but here I see them all the time, summer and winter. The

brilliantly red males are extraordinary, of course, but I think the females are also very attractive.

Below is one of the pretty females on a feeder in early November 2008.

This male on the right was shot in March of 2008,

before the trees produced their new foliage.

The fellow in the tree below was one of my winter

visitors, on January 17, 2009.

29JAN09

Here’s a nice full-body shot of a male on March 25, 2009.

When I’m walking around, the birds

generally leave the feeders and wait

up in the trees until I’m gone. Better

safe than sorry, I guess.

Occasionally, there is a waiting line at one of

the feeders, like this Red-bellied Woodpecker

who seems to be telling the Cardinal, “Hey,

hurry up already; others are waiting to take

their turn, you know!”

21 Apr 2012

Another female in the Spring, looking especially cute!