Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Everybody dive in.......free food!!!




I have lived on this property for over thirty three years.  I never saw cardinals actually come to this property until an older neighbor gentleman moved away and I started feeding them. I have always only had a pair.  When I put my tray feeder out the other day, I thought I saw three female cardinals and I couldn't believe my eyes. What a good deal, with in the next ten minutes all three males were there also. 
The photo is blurry as you can see, but it is the only one that I could get through my dining room window.  The one male is landing and he is blurred for sure.  I took these this morning after I had gone out and hand scooped out the three or more inches of snow in the tray.  I put  a little fresh seed on top of the other semi wet seed and in a few minutes I turned and looked and I thought someone had yelled, "everyone in the pool!"  The grackles and starlings and sparrows and all the rest were lining up for a seed.




These two are like a couple who are discussing the menu. I bet they are saying that the guy on main street has better sunflower seeds.



When I first put out the feeder, I could tell they were going to be a little territorial, but once the blizzard hit, they said "heck with that, everybody for themselves."  I love it when the Red Bellied Woodpecker comes flying in for the suet as he clumsily clears the area. The nail sticking up is a suet cake that I wanted to hold down in the tray.  When it is gone I will put the next one below on the side of the post. I don't know what I was thinking.  I have an old orange in there but no one is taking on that.

This is all new for me so I will be having fun with it. The woodpeckers are harder to shoot and the finches have all turned dark brown, but I will try to only show my best photos from here on out. I will bring my wife's better camera into the works and see if I can do a better job.   We are getting blizzard warning blasted on the tv now and they are saying any travel is not recommended.  This is a totally unpredicted snow coming down from Canada.  Everyone stay warm and thanks for reading........

12 comments:

Sunny said...

What fun pictures! I love cardinals. You did a great job on the seed tray.
We had tons of rain yesterday, a seal broke on a basement window and we had a waterfall in the cellar...what a mess!
Sunny :)

Gigi Ann said...

The cardinals are such red beauties. I think you did a good job capturing them. The blurry in the first picture makes it all that much more interesting, as they flip around, trying to get their bellies full.

I hope the weather report is wrong, we don't need anymore snow.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

What great pictures!! How neat to have so many Cardinals and other pretty visitors. I lived in St. Louis for a year when I was a kid and still remember the Cardinals.
I hope that blizzard changes it's course and goes right by you. Stay warm!

OiseauBird said...

The Cardinals are so elegant and beautiful birds.
What great pictures!

Thank you to feed and protect fragil birds.
Have a good day, Stay warm.

Rae said...

Cardinals are one of my favorites. I have several pairs that visit regularly too. They sure add brightness to a dull Midwestern day. They are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night. Even my bossy Blue Jays give them respect. Your tray feeder is really nice. I never had any takers on oranges I've put out either. I stick with black oil sunflower seeds.

Hilary said...

What lovely cardinals and in such large numbers. My feeder activity has been quiet lately. We seem to have a few hawks hanging around and that just doesn't make the smaller birds feel comfy.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Ah we must have sent that down to you..we have sun shine today..the first in over a week. OH I love your Cardinals..I am jealous..but happy for you that you get to look out your window and see these beauties! :)

The Retired One said...

WOW....stunning!!!
I am SO JEALOUS!!!
I have only seen a pair once here, and then one male on two sep. occasions after that....how I wish I would see them again.

Boy, you have had your share of bad weather this winter...hang in there!!

Unknown said...

Is there anything quite so beautiful as cardinals against winter branches and snow?

David - Pinewood Cottage said...

With all the snow you've had this year you might consider adding a Gothic roof to your bird feeder. Something high pitched to throw off all that snow.

The Great Ethan Allen said...

Lots of red! Cardinals are so colorful in the bleak white of winter.

Linda said...

No Cardinals in the UK, so these shots are a treat. They look as if they're designed to be cheerful on a snowy day.