Northern Cardinal, Kennebunk, Maine, USA There is a poem that goes with this.

Most days when I am out in the blind
waiting for birds to come fill my little
window, I hear the Cardinals calling.
There is one, a pair undoubtedly, that
lives down the street maybe six houses,
in a patch of wet woodland, and one
pair that lives on the loop of streets
behind us, in the little pine island
between our block and the next. At
least two pair then, in the neighborhood.
One evening after I had come in and we
were making supper I looked out and saw
a male Cardinal at the the feeders by
my blind…and I have waited, not all that
patiently, every day since for it to come
while I was there to see it. Kind of hoping
against hope since I have only ever
seen maybe three in our yard in the
25 years we have lived here. But today,
the male came. It wanted to drink from
the hanging bird bath, and worked it’s
way through the vines around it two
or three times without figuring out how
to do it. But oh the poses and the
postures and that red crest flaring,
and that big deep rose pearl of a beak
in the black mask and the little black pearl
of an eye…and the light was just right,
and I am satisfied, full on Cardinal, and
yes I am confident it won’t be long before
he figures out how to get to the bird bath,
and then, maybe he will bring his mate,
and then his brood when they fledge, and
we will have the red of Cardinals in our yard
most days. Wouldn’t that be something!

Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.