Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

The one no one notices

38 Comments

Some birds get all the attention. You know the ones. They’ve got beautiful bright feathers and they like to show off.

Afternoon light at the heated birdbath.

But I’ve been watching Mrs. Cardinal as she frequents my birdfeeders. Her subtle coloring is as beautiful as the flashy feathers of her mate. She’s a quiet beauty.

She attempts to hide during the early morning sunrise.

For the past couple of days there have been several female cardinals at the feeders, in the branches of the protective honeysuckle bush, and hiding among the last leaves of the beech tree.

Finding a safe place during our first real snowfall.

I notice how beautiful she is glowing in the light. whether it’s the early morning slanted sunrise or during an afternoon snow storm. She’s modest, though, and won’t sit and pose for long.

Too much attention and she’ll head for quieter places.

You have to be satisfied with her brief appearances and wait, hopefull, for your next glimpse.

I noticed Mr. Cardinal watching her too. He seemed as smitten as me.

Author: dawnkinster

I'm a long time banker having worked in banks since the age of 17. I took a break when I turned 50 and went back to school. I graduated right when the economy took a turn for the worst and after a year of library work found myself unemployed. I was lucky that my previous bank employer wanted me back. So here I am again, a long time banker. Change is hard.

38 thoughts on “The one no one notices

  1. she is a stunner is her own way. I love her subtle colors and she isn’t as jarring as her mate is. not that he isn’t handsome in his own way – just different.

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  2. Gorgeous photos!

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  3. I love that photo with the furled wing. And the subtlety of her colors.

    >

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  4. Wonderful captures, Dawn! 😍

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  5. The wing photo of Mrs Cardinal! Beautiful, Dawn.

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  6. We don’t get many cardinals here on the west coast, but when we do, we pay attention! And yet your photos are stunning. I actually like the subtle colors, the softness yet lovely wonderful depth of color of the female. The guys are flashy, mostly just a SPOT of high color. The gals are truly gorgeous. 🙂

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  7. I just love seeing cardinals in any situation since we have none in Spokane. Miss cardinal is quite beautiful in her neutral tones!

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  8. I love that photo with the wing in motion. I am partial to the females too, and have found they are quicker than the males to find the peanuts when I throw them out to them.

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  9. Those pictures are lovely! And I’m just wild about the cute way you ended it—complete with another winner of a photo.

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    • I’m so lucky to have a wide variety of birds here at the house. They’re so used to me going out to fill the feeders they don’t go far when I go outside. They hear that cover come off the seed bin and they’re in the trees above me. I can hear their wings as they wait impatiently for me to hurry up and fill all the feeders. And they’re eating before I make it back across the deck to the back door. Silly spoiled birds, that’s what I’ve got! Oops…I see I need to get out ther and refil again. They’re getting feisty.

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  10. Love these photos! Stunning!

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  11. Lovely pictures set in the snow-light. I agree, the female cardinal has a gentle beauty all her own – she doesn’t need to be flashy to attract attention. ♡

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  12. She IS beautiful! Those boy birds can be quite ridiculous and full of themselves.

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    • Yes they can. But I notice there’s some hiarchy among the boys. Certain ones will leave the feeder when others show up. At least during the summer. During the winter they tolerate each other more.

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  13. What great captures! I’ve tried — unsuccessfully — to photograph cardinals, but they’re just too quick. And too shy. The jays and grackles, however, will gladly sit tight while I fiddle with my camera. And I see you didn’t even have to bribe them with food!

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    • They are particularly shy. But we’ve lived here for 30+ years and I’ve been feeding them all that time. They don’t stick around if I go outside but they let me go up to the windows most of the time. If I move slowly. And having a long lens helps too. (I’m spoiled)

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  14. Mrs. Cardinal is beautiful in these photos Dawn. I know the male Northern Cardinals are the ones getting the attention, but the females are lookers too. I will have a few Cardinals coming up on Wednesday, taken at the Park before this Winter siege set in, but they are not close-ups like these … and they turned their back to me at one point. Better get Penny’s boots ready … did you hear about the real feel of minus 20 on Sunday? Gulp!

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  15. Wonderful pics! Love the attention given to the non-attention seeker…

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  16. So pretty. Yes she is beautiful too. Cardinals and winter, they just go together.

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  17. I love it when momma cardinal visits. She is beautiful, but papa cardinal always is close by. It is a rare moment when both are at the feeder together. Stay warm and enjoy the week ahead. Peace.

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