Northern Cardinal
 | I’m one of the most familiar backyard birds. I nest in Florida and you may see several broods of little cardinals each year. My ‘chip, chip’ call note is distinctive. Most Likely Found: In the treetops, In your backyard When: Year-Round Where I've photographed: Bok Tower, Callaway Gardens, Chinsegut, Circle B Bar Reserve, Lake Apopka, Leu Gardens |
I have written 41 posts including a photo of a Northern Cardinal
The Last of the Backyard Migrants
May 23, 2019 - ...One morning in late April, I spent a couple of hours in the backyard with my camera, hoping to see our first-of-spring baby Cardinal and maybe a few migrants. It was a cool morning and pleasant to hear the calls of “my” birds as they woke up. We’ve been seeing the occasional Eastern Bluebird, although […] Read more
I Miss my Painted Buntings!
May 16, 2019 - Northern Cardinal The Painted Buntings were obviously gearing up for a long migration flight.... Read more
Springtime Backyard Bird Photography
April 11, 2019 - The two Gray Catbirds continue to chase each other around the yard, as do several pairs of Northern Cardinals, each of whom thinks it owns the yard.... Read more
An Afternoon in the Bird Blind
February 3, 2018 - Northern Cardinal The cats like it when I hang out in the backyard.... Read more
Welcome Fall Birds!
October 22, 2017 - Northern Cardinal We have several pairs of cardinals who frequent the backyard.... Read more
Summer Backyard Birding
August 17, 2017 - ...Summer backyard birding is fun with a visiting Ruby-throated Hummingbird and growing baby Northern Cardinals and House Finches Read more
The First Sign of Fall at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 13, 2017 - ...My dad and I spotted our first-of-fall Belted Kingfisher at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive on July 16. Fall migration is underway! Read more
Somewhere Under the Rainbow, My Birds Fly
June 30, 2017 - ...Backyard birding update along with a beautiful rainbow photo Read more
Northern Cardinals
May 24, 2017 - My Northern Cardinals wish a very special person a very happy birthday today!... Read more
Birds on Bird Finials
May 5, 2017 - Red-winged Blackbird on Finial Male Painted Bunting next to Finial Greenie Painted Bunting Next to Finial Northern Cardinal on Finial Mourning Dove next to Finial American Goldfinches on Finial Hehe, yep!... Read more
Backyard Bird Feeder Fun
April 30, 2017 - Northern Cardinal The cardinals aren't picky.... House Finch Northern Cardinal Male Painted Bunting Painted Bunting Greenie It's fun to watch the birds start to pair up in the springtime.... Read more
Happiness is…
April 3, 2017 - watching the cardinals take a bath in the birdbath that you cleaned for them yesterday (it's always nice when they appreciate your efforts!) Northern Cardinal in Birdbath ...... Read more
Backyard Birding Bonanza
March 28, 2017 - showed off her fresh spring colors on a pretty perch (not one of mine, but still pretty!) Northern Cardinal (Female) The Painted Buntings love my birdbath, and I love watching them splash around.... Read more
There’s No Place Like Home
March 4, 2017 - A bright red male Northern Cardinal made me chuckle when he perched on top of the bird feeder finial.... Read more
Springtime Stroll at Circle B Bar Reserve
March 2, 2017 - ...A foggy spring morning at Circle B Bar Reserve yielded nesting Great Blue Herons, a wading bird feeding frenzy, and a flock of mixed passerines Read more
Welcome Back, Winter Birds!
October 9, 2016 - Other birds that I heard this morning included our neighborhood Northern Cardinals, a Red-bellied Woodpecker who seems to have taken up his winter residence nearby (I guess our trees are getting big enough to be enticing to woodpeckers!), a pair of Sandhill Cranes, and an unidentified Swallow flying overhead.... Read more
Summertime Birds in the Backyard
August 28, 2016 - At least two pairs of Northern Cardinals nested nearby - and spent hours chasing each other out of the backyard!... Read more
Colorful Backyard Fun
April 20, 2016 - ...So many colorful birds are visiting the feeders and birdbath these days! I love springtime! Read more
Backyard Birding from my Blind
February 21, 2016 - Northern Cardinal (Female) It's been ages since I've been out birding, and it was a treat just to sit and listen to the calls of my feathered friends.... Read more
Tiny Cardinal Fledgling
July 22, 2015 - ...I found a tiny cardinal fledgling in our backyard in one of my bushes. He let me take a video of him as he fussed for food! Read more
Say Hello to This Year’s Baby Cardinal!
June 29, 2014 - We have some Mourning Doves, a couple of Northern Mockingbirds, a few House Finches, occasionally a pair of Common Ground Doves, and our sweet pair of Northern Cardinals.... Read more
Yard Birding: Fun in my Own Backyard!
April 6, 2014 - The most animated birds in the yard right now have to be the Northern Cardinals.... Read more
Finally! Nice Weather for a Walk at Circle B
January 12, 2014 - ...As you will read in upcoming blog posts, the weather wasn’t so great over my Christmas vacation. So when the forecast called for sun today, I headed for a nice walk at the Circle B Bar Reserve. I wasn’t the only one, either! There were tons of people there. I took the Alligator Alley trail […] Read more
American Goldfinches Fight for the Feeders
March 7, 2013 - ...My backyard has been filled with American Goldfinches for the past few weeks. They empty my six-port niger feeder in just a few days, so finally I had to break down and get out the 24-port feeder! They are eating us out of house and home. It’s a good thing they are so cute and […] Read more
A Visit from Beaky
July 11, 2012 - ...Our resident backyard cardinal’s name is Beaky (since he goes and “beaks” at Carla’s window). He’s one of our most reliable feeder customers, but lately, he’s been branching out and acting like what my mom calls a “real bird.” I left some sunflowers to go to seed, and he discovered them. Now he sits on […] Read more
Goldy’s First Hummingbird
November 1, 2011 - ...This weekend we had a very special evening in the backyard. All three cats were on the porch with us as we ate dinner. First we saw Baby C, the latest offspring of Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. We were surprised to see him this late in the year, and the cats were quite entertained by […] Read more
Baby Cardinal
July 19, 2011 - ...We’ve had a bumper crop of baby mockingbirds in our neighborhood this year, but not as many young cardinals as usual. So we were happy to see this young cardinal feeding at Goldy’s window feeder. He didn’t mind when I got closer to the window to take his picture. Read more
We Found Woody!
June 18, 2011 - Red-Headed Woodpecker The nature center at Chinsegut is open only on Fridays and Saturdays. We found it to be a really cool little place. The best part was outside the center, where there's a butterfly garden with a ton of bird feeders. There were a ton of birds, most of…... Read more
From my Favorite Blind…a.k.a. my Back Window
April 27, 2011 - ...This weekend I spent some quality time at my favorite bird blind, my back window. I had fun watching the birds hopping around the backyard in the evening. I’ve been letting the wild grasses and weeds grow a bit in the rosebeds, because the Painted Buntings clearly enjoyed them. Apparently they also promote good bugs, […] Read more
Birdbrains…
March 22, 2011 - ...We were walking near the back side of Pebble Ridge tonight when we came across Mrs. Beaky attacking the passenger side mirror on a car. My camera attracted the attention of several neighbors, who all came out to laugh at this silly bird. I wish I could explain to her that the mirror image is […] Read more
The Nest-Building Begins
March 18, 2011 - ...We saw Mrs. C. in the backyard today, and it looked as if she was starting to build a nest in the grapefruit tree! I watched her take several twigs up to the same place in the tree. She then went over to the flowerbed and started picking up other nesting material. I got the […] Read more
One for Carla
March 1, 2011 - ...These cardinals are too much! Beaky earned his name by “beaking” at the Smith window. Carla and Peter and Aaron learned to tolerate him. Then Mrs. Beaky picked up the habit. We caught a video of her as she repeatedly flew at the front room window and then retreated to the palm tree. Silly bird! Read more
You Know it’s Springtime at Circle B Bar Reserve if…
February 20, 2011 - American Bittern American Bittern We saw several Northern Cardinal pairs this morning, all in breeding plumage. I like to say that the cardinal around my house sounds like he's calling for a "wife!... King Rail Species List: American Bittern, American Coot, American Goldfinch, American Robin, Anhinga, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher,…... Read more
It’s a Cardinal Bird
October 27, 2010 - ...We like to make fun of our bird call CDs, where the announcer starts off the cardinal sound by saying that “the cardinal is a bird…” Goldy knows all about cardinal birds. She was very happy to welcome this one to our feeder, and she sat with her tail twitching as she watched it eat. Read more
Papitos Backyard Birds
October 9, 2010 - ...Mum-mum and Dyeyo are enjoying the return of the warblers to their backyard. Dyeyo and I took our cameras outside this afternoon to photograph some of the customers at Missy’s Diner. The hummingbird didn’t show herself, but the sparrows sure did! I was a little concerned when I saw the pictures of this House Sparrow, […] Read more
Cardinal Molting Season
October 7, 2010 - ...Tonight I was going out to water the new sod when I stopped short, having just seen this cardinal hopping around in the flower bed right beside the door. He didn’t mind when I came back with my camera and shot a few pictures through the window in the door. I’m not sure if this […] Read more
Songbirds at Bok Tower Gardens
May 9, 2010 - ...A rose-breasted grosbeak was recently seen at Bok Tower Gardens, so this morning Rich and I went to bird-watch at Bok. We didn’t see a grosbeak, but we did see some fun songbirds. The first bird we saw this morning was a male Eastern Towhee. He was on the ground, rooting through the grass, digging […] Read more
Roses and Baby Birds at Leu Gardens
May 31, 2009 - ...Rich and I went to Leu Gardens this morning to see roses and turtles. We were pleasantly surprised to see a Common Moorhen in the lake, with her baby nearby! The baby was fussing its head off (it reminded us of Squirt when he’s hungry). We saw a juvenile cardinal, too. Nearby, Daddy Cardinal kept […] Read more
Callaway Gardens – Summer 2008
August 25, 2008 - ...After two years of talking about it, Rich and I finally made it to Callaway Gardens…and thanks to Tropical Storm Fay, it rained the whole time we were there! But I saw my first hummingbirds, we were pleasantly surprised to run into some of our FL winter bird friends, and two of the butterflies in […] Read more