Cardinal in a Tree

photograph of a male cardinal in a treeThe cardinal is the state bird of Virginia and there are plenty around.  They can be tough to photograph because they never seem to allow people to get very close and they tend to move quite a bit.  As I was photographing a landscape I heard the easily identifiable chirp of a cardinal and noticed this male watching me from a nearby tree.  He stayed put long enough for me to take several photos before flying away.

Female Cardinal in a Tree

photograph of a female cardinal perched in a tree

This Cardinal was perched in the red bud tree right outside my kitchen window.  There are two feeders in the tree so there are always a few birds in it.  During the winter months, when the leaves are down, the birds are easier to watch and photograph.