Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2026 — Back to back yard birds of Southern Maine. I took a walk yesterday, trying to build some stamina after my pacemaker events, and, of course, to see if I could find the winter flock of Robins and Cedar Waxwings…I still do not know where they are…but I did find two male cardinals skulking through the dense brush in a bit of wetland between our street and a newish development. I have seen Cardinals there several times now, so I am always looking. They were, however, playing very hard to get…staying deep in the brush, beyond ideal photographic distance, and heavily obscured, so I really had to work to find even a marginal clear line of sight. It might have been frustrating, but I enjoyed the challenge and came back with a handful of images I would be willing to share. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 450mm equivalent field of view. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.