Thursday, January 5, 2017

It's All in the Habitat



One of the first tasks in my new home was to set up bird feeders off my deck.  In Northport, I'd not been able to attract cardinals to my feeders because they didn’t like my woodsy environment.  I hoped they’d like my new surroundings better with its shrubby areas.



I made sure my two new feeders had feeding platforms, which cardinals prefer.


 
A small Black-capped chickadee was the first to arrive at the No-Mess Feeder, with its blend of sunflower chips, hulled millet, and shelled peanuts.


 
It enjoyed the Seed Cylinder too with mealworms, sunflower chips, peanuts, raisins, and cranberries.  But still no cardinals.



A few days later, as I was passing through my living room, I caught sight of a red splotch in the Rose of Sharon bush next to my feeders.  Could it be??  Yes, it was a beautiful male Northern Cardinal!  My excitement was palpable.


 
It took another few days before I saw a cardinal actually visit a feeder, and this time it was a female.   Its heavy red bill matched its red wings and tail.   



And soon the vibrant male joined its mate at the seed cylinder.


 
Looks like the cardinals are delighting in the new habitat.  What a cheery gift they've become on these snowy wintry days!

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful images, Karen. And lucky you to be able to get cardinals at your feeders!

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  2. Thanks, Jan. I feel really lucky after so many years of missing cardinals. They are such lovely birds.

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  3. Love that splashy red of the male Cardinal, but the female has a beauty all her own - those graceful layers of tail feathers in the last pic could be part of a beautiful gown!

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  4. Thanks, Jackie. I agree that the female is a beauty in her own right too, and those tail feathers are certainly part of it.

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