I did a double-take when I saw a male Cardinal feeding what was obviously not a young cardinal. When I realized that the young was a cowbird, I understood that the bond between a parent and its nestling goes beyond appearances.
I had been observing this Northern Cardinal in his nest tucked away in a stand of bamboo. Watching him daily until the day he fledged. He landed a short distance on a crape myrtle tree near the stand of bamboo.
a baby male Cardinal leaves the nest
A male cardinal feeds his offspring along the fence next to my back yard feeders.
just before fledge…baby cardinal watching over siblings
Dad feeding baby…we normally have several nests each year…this one was at right height and openness to get this shot.
This Northern Cardinal spent days building her nest. It seemed like a well camouflaged location, but the English Sparrows swarmed in and took ownership. She didn’t go far because I see her daily feasting on blueberries.
Taken while photographing from a blind and watching these two cardinals tending to a fledgling, when they started to dance and display, reinforcing their bonds . I was lucky to capture them in this very expressive moment
This nest was built in our Christmas tree that we planted after the holidays.