
Is that I have seen only one cardinal,

ever.

The first was in Buenos Aires.

Meet Cardinal number two!

I met him at The Superstition Mountains in Arizona.

He was a rare finding and was quite sociable.

Of course I didn’t have my good bird zoom lens, but he’s so handsome, it almost doesn’t matter.
Cheers to you from my second Cardinal in Arizona~
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sweet!
Indeed დ
I wish they were here in N.M. So pretty.
Aren’t they lovely. I wish you had them too!! I hear their populations are doing well with is very good news დ
Isn’t he a beauty? His wife is somewhere close by, they travel in pairs -at least here where I live. We have them in our yard and I enjoy seeing them on our feeders.
I missed the wife, but there was some small bird in the nearby bush. I bet that was her. She was more shy დ
Come to NC. They are everywhere. Several mating pairs live in my yard.
I think there is a type of Desert Cardinal in the Southwest and a Vermillion Cardinal in Argentina? 🤔
Well…duh. I scanned the pix fast. Just now caught Buenos Aires. *facepalm*
I would love to see your NC cardinals! My husband lived in NC but doesn’t remember seeing them. No worries about BA, I scan quickly too, as you know!!! Cheers to you დ
They are adorable babies. I love to hear them chirp and call for mates.
I would SO love to see them!
How interesting. I didn’t know that! Thanks for the information დ
I was just re-reading over the Cardinal list. Our Cardinals are Northern Cardinals. If you were taking pix in Arizona, they are there, too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_cardinal
Yes. You are right. Amazing how adaptive Northern Cardinals are. They are here, rarely seen, but surviving in such a different habitat than Northern Carolina. Fascinating დ
Exactly.
I got the country wrong, too, on the Vermillion:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermilion_cardinal
You can never go wrong with me by showing me new photos and info on birds. The vermilion cardinal is such a beauty! Wow. The one I saw in Argentina was a Red Crested Cardinal. He looked a lot like the Desert Cardinal with just paint strokes of red. Really striking, friendly bird.
Here is the Desert Cardinal:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhuloxia
Thank you! Amazingly tough little birdies. Look at the coloration of the female! And they are a species of least concern. It’s nice to get good news. Thank you for sharing.
Welcome!
Such fabulous colouring, you were so lucky to spot and photograph him.
Yes indeed. I was beyond the moon with him დ
Understandable
დდ
Isn’t he gorgeous! Congratulations on your find, Cindy, and your photos of him are great.
Thank you Lynette. I was completely thrilled and it was so unexpected! დ
We have a sweet couple who frequent our bird feeders and bath. they are so pretty and I love their call.
How wonderful! I would love to see them დ
We see cardinals on a regular basis in our yard. They’re such a treat in their bright red plummage!
You are very lucky Liz დ
Fantastic, and I really mean it, they look straight from fantasy : )
Yes, so gorgeous they are surreal! დ
They are gorgeous! What a great find.
I was completely thrilled! დ
Someday I would love to see a real live cardinal. These photos are wonderful, Cindy. Just beautiful.
I sincerely hope that day comes soon. It thrilled me to no end and he was so friendly! დ
🙂❤️
I’ve never seen a cardinal in person…I appreciate your photos…and this cardinal seems to have a friendly personality.
He was so friendly! Not shy at all. Hopping around a lot on the ground. I do hope you see one. It is quite special დ
What a beautiful creature! <3
Have a fine week, and stay safe, dear Cindy!
Thank you my friend & so happy you enjoyed him. Stay safe my friend დ
Wow.. Fabulous 👍👍👍
He’s a beauty all right. Thank you დ
Welcome 🌹
დდ
Oh, WHAT a fine fellah.
He is all dressed up and ready to go!! დ
Last time I saw a cardinal was in Michigan. I’ve lived in Arizona for a decade and haven’t laid eyes on a cardinal. Seen lots of crows, owls, and hawks though! 😀
Cute lil guy! Great photos!
This is what Arizonians are telling me. Sightings are rare. So I am especially thrilled დ
great shots
Grazie mille დ
I have never seen a Cardinal. Beauty shots Cindy!
Now I don’t feel so bad……. I hope you do see one დ
For your one and only sighting of one you had a good look and made some wonderful images of it. I’m still hoping and waiting to see my first one.
I am hoping with you! It is quite a thrill when you rarely see them დ
Definitely a fabulous fella. We see the red ones every day here. It’s the white ones we’ve only ever seen once here in S. Ontario.
How awesome is that! I have never seen a white one. დ
This is one heck of a striking bird! Thank you the sweet pics, Cindy!! ❦
Hugs to you Resa & stay well my friend დ
We are fortunate to have cardinals throughout the year. They are beautiful birds!
You are indeed very fortunate. They are stunners დ
Beautiful.
Happy you like him დ
Despite our baseball team being the Cardinals, I never thought about cardinals being here in Arizona! They were my grandmother’s favorite bird and in Nebraska we’d occasionally see them, if the blue jays weren’t dominating the feeder…
I asked a local and he said he has only seen a cardinal once is the past seven years! Apparently are rather rarely seen. This guy was very friendly. There seemed to be seed scattered about which I didn’t put there, so this may explain his friendliness დ
This is only the second Cardinal you’ve seen?? Oh, Cindy, you need to come visit me now — we’ve got all kinds of Cardinals (males as well as their mates), just hanging around the yard. I love listening to their songs, and catching a glimpse of that brilliant red color is a true treat!
It’s a deal! We need to house swap!!! 😉 დ
Thank you for sharing the moment you saw your first cardinal, Cindy. What an exciting moment!
A very special day! Cheers to you Rebecca დ
It’s interesting how our minds are drawn to novelty! In most of the Eastern US, Cardinals are so numerous and ubiquitous, many of us forget on a daily basis how stunning they are. And yet when we head to the Southwest and see the much more drab Pyrrhuloxia, we get all excited. LOL! Glad you got to see another of these pretty birds that’s the state birds of many states ❤️
Yes! This reminds me of being in South Africa and getting excited over the crocodiles sunning on the banks. I voiced this, and a local lady said to me, “Well, they are very common.”
I replied, “Your common is my exotic!” დ
Gorgeous photos of a glorious bird, congrats Cindy. We had them in a front yard tree, I heard their sweet song before I saw the Cardinals and put two and two together. I wonder if your Cardinal is a migrator? Here, they do not migrate and stay all winter long. I can’t imagine Arizona in August being prime habitat for your lovely guy?
Apparently they don’t migrate. They live in Arizona but are apparently rare to see. I am no expert though as I have seen a sum total of two of them! დ
Thanks Cindy. You’re on a roll! Congrats on number two, the way it feels so memorable to you shines through your in your narrative and lovely photos. Maybe he has a friend to introduce to you!
What a lovely comment! Thank you & be well my friend.
I feel your pain. I was in St. Louis a few years ago and never saw one either. My relatives kept telling me that I just missed one.
So sad. I do commiserate with you fully დდ
He is a looker! Great title. Welcome to sunny AZ! Enjoy the majestic Superstitions. 🥰
The Superstitions are so awesome! AZ is a stunning state. My camera is getting tired დ
It is a spectacular mountain range with an interesting history. I am so excited for you! A beautiful time of year to visit. 🥰 So much to see and do! I look forward to more of your shares!
I am getting the hang about how to photograph here. It is no where near as easy as it looks at all. The sun is everything here. I have been throwing out so many photos that I thought were in perfect light, but the topography is so unique, it requires a lot of practice at different times of the day, and at different distances, to see what works. We are hiking everyday. There are so many trails! I am having SO MUCH fun learning in Arizona! You are lucky to live here დ
I am delighted by your email. Thank you for sharing, Cindy. Right you are – no avoiding the sun here! Photography is a soul-enriching hobby for me, and I am always learning something. Part of the appeal, I suppose. Golden hour truly is golden here and clouds are a blessing! Yes, there are many wonderful trails and lakes too, surprisingly. You probably don’t have time on this trip, but Tucson also has gorgeous trails and Sabino Canyon is a must see. Picacho Peak State Park is on the way there, and I imagine there are wildflowers now, with the rains we had. They won’t last long, but if there, they are gorgeous. Anyway… I could go on! 😁 I am fortunate, thank you. Starting in June I sing a different tune! 🥵Enjoy! 🌵
We have lots of cardinals here in Missouri! They are a joy to see anytime, anywhere!
Lucky you! They are indeed a joyful bird დ
Hi Cindy – thanks for posting pictures of one of my favorite birds. We have cardinals where we live, although they don’t come out all the time. The male is always so bright in color, but in seeing the female, I’ve grown to appreciate her muted feathers and regal look.
Yes. I feel the same about female bird coloration, not as flashy, but subtle and lovely დ
What wonderful shots of an interesting red bird. Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures, I wish you a nice week, Marie
Have a wonderful week Marie & I am happy you enjoyed him დ
Cute! They live around our house too 😆
One day, I saw that he was attacking my truck’s window over and over 😂💕
And of course, I didn’t have my phone or camera that moment.
They have such amazing voice, do they😍?
How amazing is that! He wasn’t in love with his reflection! დ
Wow! I love it! Thank’s Cindy.
Kep well.
Elvira
Visa versa 2UX2 Elvira დ
Thank’s Cindy as well.
💖🙏🏻
Strikingly beautiful! x
They are indeed and he was so friendly დ
He is handsomely red 🙂
I do not think I have seen one or especially male cardinal yet this year. Spring just started and I think I will be seeing them more soon.
You are a lucky person დ
I just love cardinals! beautiful photos!
Thanks you so much! They are beautiful დ
Native American lore states if a cardinal is seen, it is believed that individual will have good luck within 12 days of the sighting. Counting down for you!
Thank you so much for telling me! I will count down too დ
A bonus found after our move to Ohio from Florida was seeing cardinals against the snow and/or an evergreen.
Heavenly! I would love to see this დ
Your photos (zoom lens or not) reflect so much hope and happiness from the cardinal! It reminds me of Emily Dickinson’s
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
And sings the tunes without the words
And never stops at all.”
That is one of my favorite poems of all time, along with, “This is the land the sunset washes, these are the banks of the yellow sea….” We both love Emily დ
It reflects in the photos, it’s the first thing that came to mind!
Lovers of Emily find each other.
What an absolutely delightful way to put it. Sort of like Emily’s “My friends are my estate.” (which I know doesn’t come from one of her poems, but is still a favorite quote of mine 🙂 )
Beautiful captures, Cindy. They are gorgeous birds and I’ve read that they are expanding their range from the Southeast. Rarely seen when I was a kid, they are now quite common here in the Northeast. Stunning to see on a wintery day peering out of an evergreen hedge. 🙂
So gorgeous and so happy they are doing well დ
Love when the put on their darker red outfits for mating season.
You are so lucky to have them around you! დ
Trees full of them daily. I am grateful for this piece of land that is home to so many species.
I would love to visit someday Eunice.
🙂 New England is an iconic place to be certain.
Love them. They are usually seen as couples around here. Wonderful photographs. 🙂 <3
I wonder where his mate was…….
What a beautiful bird and with that bright red feather colouring, must be easy to spot (when you’re in the right location).
He definitely stood out! დ
They are such red dare devils …. Around seed and potential mates! Love the colors at their time to year 💕
Such a treat for me to see one! დ
My goodness what a beautiful one!
He was friendly and gorgeous! დ
Beautiful 🧡
Aren’t they gorgeous creatures! დ
I’m happy for that my dear Cindy.- HJ 🙂
Thanks so much! Most appreciated & cheers to you დ