Andromeda in Snow, Reds of Female Cardinal
March 12th, 2013 by Leora
My andromeda shrub has not seen a lot of snow this year, so it was a delight last Friday when I got a chance to photograph the andromeda in snow. In the spring, the andromeda shrub produces these pretty wedding bell-like flowers. A robin once laid her eggs in my andromeda shrub.
We have gotten little snow this past winter – lots of threats and warnings, but no school has been cancelled due to snowstorms. I love photographing snow scenes, but New Jersey only gives me infrequent opportunities. I grew up in the Boston area, and they got much more snow this past winter. Anyone remember the blizzard of 1978?
The cardinals were content to visit our backyard once again and enjoy the bird feeder and branches.
This shot of the female cardinal shows a lot of her red – unlike her male partner, she is mostly brown, but when you get closer, you can see the pretty bits of red. I think it’s quite lovely.
One can see the reds of female cardinal here – love those streaks of red amongst the brown.
I enjoyed this description of the northern cardinal from Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology:
The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning.
I do find my cardinals tend to visit in the cold. I don’t see them in the summer.
For more Nature Notes:
I can’t remember having had as much snow as this year, at least over such a long period of time. I have taken a few pictures but can’t say I have seen many birds lately.
Seems like Europe is having different weather patterns than in the past. Boston seems to have had a snowy winter, as has Canada, but not New Jersey.
I bet if you put out a bird feeder, you would have visitors.
We haven’t had as much snow this year in my part of Canada, winter’s changing. I think the female cardinal is just as outstanding as her male counterpart!
I’m a big fan of the female cardinal.
As always, I love those cardinal photos. I love the female…she is a beauty. The males with their redness are lovely, but the female cardinals display a loveliness all their own.
I love the photo of your andromeda shrub…gorgeous!
Thank you for all your kind and insightful comments, Lorri.
I love photographing snow too. As for the cardinals, I rarely see mine in summer although we do hear them. We see them all winter though.
Interesting, that you hear the cardinals in summer. Since I can’t tell a bird call from a car screech (OK, I’m exaggerating), I don’t know if they are here but hidden.
Hello Leora, it is nice to hear the cardinals singing early in the morning. A sure sign of spring too. Lovely post and photos.
Is that who is making all that music? The cardinals have been visiting all winter. Hoping they stay for spring, or maybe we’ll get new visitors?
Your shrub is gorgeous in the snow and wonderful shots of the cardinals.
Thank you, Carver.
Cardinals are one of the things I’ve really came to like about living in the South. It’s one thing I’ll miss when I move back to Idaho. I never get very many pretty birds at my other house, plus there was once a hawk that took up residence in my old backyard and started to eat the other birds at my feeder. Oh the carnage!
Jeri,
Michelle talks about birds (or carnivorous animals in general) that eat other birds … hard to accept, but nature is nature.
It makes me smile to hear you talking about your cardinals. The morning bird song can be robins or the male cardinal calls when he is advertising his territory but it is described as ‘purdy..purdy..purdy”
http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=3
Loved visiting your Nature Notes post…Michelle
Michelle, thanks for the birdsong. Maybe if I listen twenty times I will get it? I remember visuals more easily than sound.
The Andromed looks great and the cardinals beauties as always.
I just saw yet another cardinal – maybe if I keep feeding them, they *will* stay for the summer.
and they will bring their offspring and show them the feeder too