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Posts Tagged ‘cardinal’

You’ve heard that old saying, It’s strictly for the birds, well today’s (again I seem to be a day late) blog post is for the birds, about the birds and in celebration of our feathered friends!  The phrase is used to denote something worthless, trivial or of interest only to gullible people. Not so here!

I wish I had gone along with Murray when he went out to take these photos because I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these beauties in flight!  Magnificent and not necessary to say anymore!

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

Beautiful Blue Heron

Beautiful Blue Heron

If there’s one bird I never take for granted and each and every time one stops by my feeder, I stop to look at it.  Looking through binoculars at this handsome prince of a bird is always a thrill for me.  Really who doesn’t love Cardinals?

Who Is That Masked Man?

Who Is That Masked Man?

Of course we’ve seen flocks of birds everywhere but this particular group of Gulls reminded me of something that surely no one under the age of 40 will know what I’m talking about! 

Gregg

Gregg

Murray Head took all these photos and with his artist’s eye he captured this bird in flight at precisely the right moment as it flew past the house.  It looks as if the bird were placed there as a prop for balance in the photo!

AIWYFI-Art Is Where You Find It

AIWYFI-Art Is Where You Find It

Sea Gulls seem to be a bit territorial and not social when it comes to food and mating!  Sometimes when I throw bread to them,  one will come along and scare another one away from a piece of bread and now they’ve both moved away from the piece so a third one comes by to snatch it.  In this photo, it looks some other male was trying to move in on the Gull’s Girl!

You Better Take Off!

Get Outta Here!

When you’re wet and cold at the beach, you wrap yourself up in a towel and sort of fold into yourself.  Just look how this Crow is sitting on the wire.  Looks like he went for a quick dip! 

Brrr brr

Brrr brr

The Laughing Gull is a favorite of mine at the shore. His head is more rounded than other gulls and this species seems to be a bit more clever at grabbing food tossed in the air.  They spend more time circling me as I toss bread in the air  rather than gathering on the sand at my feet.  They are very compact and streamlined.  Look at those great feathers!    

Aerodynamically Perfect

Aerodynamically Perfect

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Mother Nature is two-faced, there’s no question about it. I’m still wearing winter coats and scarves on my way to work, I’m putting the heat on in the den at night. On Sunday, my friend Susan sent me a photo of the falling snow in her backyard and my friend Kim posted the all too familiar picture of the stabbed snowman because in upstate New York where she lives, they got almost a foot of snow.

Even though the temperature keeps fluctuating, there are other greater rituals in place. Regardless of snow or wind or ice, the daffodils send up their bright shoots, the crocuses blossom and many of the birds who wintered elsewhere come home. These photos were taken in Central Park this past weekend.

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

Behold the magnificent Blue Heron captured in flight!

Blue Heron

Blue Heron

There’s no more snow in the park BUT we do have Snow Drops!  Aren’t they pretty?

Spring Snow Drops

Spring Snow Drops

Even though Cardinals hang around all year, they are so beautiful and regal, how could I not include him in this array of seasonal color?

Regal Red Cardinal

Regal Red Cardinal

A splash of sunshine in your garden. 

A Bit of Sunshine

A Bit of Sunshine

I love it when I hear the first Red Wing Blackbird arrive at our feeder.  They have a very distinct and melodic trill.

Love His Epaulets

Love His Epaulets

The first purple crocus each year reminds me that Spring is truly on my doorstep.

Hello Spring!

Hello Spring!

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You just never know who you’re going to run into when you walk through Central Park.  On this day, there was a colorful assortment of feathered and furry friends.  The camera caught a few of them in going about their daily tasks.  Mmmm do they actually have chores?

Love that Grackle on the Left

Love that Grackle on the Left

"Who goes there"?

“Who goes there”?

Ole!

Ole!

A Black Squirrel making off with a peanut!

A Black Squirrel making off with a peanut!

Not A Happy Duck

Not A Happy Duck

Is Big Bird Lost?

Is Big Bird Lost?

Going Eye to Eye With A Red Tail Hawk

Going Eye to Eye With A Red Tail Hawk

A Tufted Titmouse

A Tufted Titmouse

Red Bellied Woodpecker Actually has a Red Head

Red Bellied Woodpecker Actually has a Red Head

"Am I Having Fun Yet"?

“Am I Having Fun Yet”?

"Coming ashore"

“Coming ashore”

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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God, they are SOOOooo beautiful!  I don’t know what it is about Cardinals that really turns me on.  I am enraptured by their beauty, their markings, their brilliant color.  Not really overly-religious, however, I look at these birds and wonder why they were created in this manner.  Why are they so strikingly red? Why do they mate for a year?  There is a myth that Cardinals mate for life and in a way that could be true since the average life expectancy of a Cardinal is about a year.  I am saddened to learn this fact.  I thought the Cardinals that return to our feeder year after year were the same couple nesting nearby.  And speaking of couples, that is another reason I love these birds so much;  When you see a female Cardinal eating, you can be sure that the male is not far away.  He is always on the lookout for predators.

Today we have several photos of male and female Cardinals who dwell in Central Park.  They may be birds just like Sparrows, Nuthatches and Chickadees but really check out the attitude and demeanor, these Cardinals have great expressions.

Deep in thought

Deep In Thought

Now Where Did He Go?

Now Where Did He Go?

i Can See A Lot From Here

i Can See A Lot From Here

This Is A Good Hair Day

This Is A Good Hair Day

Really, We Have Nothing In Common

Really, We Have Nothing In Common

Three Red Cardinals

Three Red Cardinals

A Christmas Card Cardinal

A Christmas Card Cardinal

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

 

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Did you ever wonder how birds get their names?  I mean a Bluebird is obvious and a Blue Jay makes sense, but what about a Cardinal?  Do you think it was named after the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church and did the color Cardinal Red come before or after the bird? Ahhhh but I digress.

The title of the blog is Berry Nice so wouldn’t you think it should have something to do with berries?  In fact it does and also about some birds with a very unusual name.  Cedar Waxwings!  Really now, what does that conjure up?  Cedar trees, wings of wax?  Well I have some really cute photos of a bunch of immature Cedar Waxwings feasting on some red berries in Central Park.  Murray was there to capture them and in addition, he wrote this little poem!

A tree grows on a slope north-west of Cedar Hill…
whose berries were ripe for the pickin’.
as a flock of juvenile Cedar Waxwings discovered.
in they flew, out they flew, and now those berries are missin’.

Cedar waxwing

This looks like a berry nice place

berry, central park, cedar waxwing

I’ve got myself a nice juicy one!

red berries, cedar waxwing

I’d bend over backwards for a berry!

red berries, cedar waxwing, central park

Not quite ripe but I think it will be fine anyway.

berry

Humphhh at least, they left at least ONE berry for me!

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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FAB FOTO FRIDAY

On any given day in The City you will see BLACK being worn everywhere.  Every New Yorker has a closet full of black clothes and for all seasons.  New Year‘s Day, which was a glorious sunny Sunday this year, was no exception…or was it??

Central park

"One and Twenty Blackbirds..."

BUT of course there are exceptions to every rule!!! Look at this fine feathered fellow showing off his “Sunday best”.

wood duck, central park

One Dapper Wood Duck

Not to mention this beautiful (YES, they are beautiful) Blue Jay who was hanging out nearby.

central park

Big Beautiful Blue Jay

And way up high, taking in the view, sat a richly red Cardinal.  Don’t you love his “mask”?

central park

A Ruby Red Cardinal

However, if we had to vote for who was the most colorful denizen of  Central Park on New Year’s Day, I think we’d have to admit the Wood Ducks took the prize!

central park

hBest -Dressed Duck

 Not everyone knew the photographer was in the park, but once they found out, everybody wanted their picture taken!  Look at this guy!

racing for the finish line. central park

"Hey, wait for me"!

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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Because it’s almost Valentine’s Day and what could be more appropriate than the RED the universal color for a heart!  Not to mention that February is American Heart Month so for the next couple of weeks, you can expect RED to be popping up here and there.

FAB FOTO FRIDAY

new york city melting pot, Asian boy,

All Wrapped Up in RED love

Photo by Murray Head

Salvation army singer, New York city, Christmas in New York

Singing for Salvation

Photo by Murray Head

 

red berries, bird in Central Park

Berry Good

 

photo by Murray Head

bleached blonde, black dress, red lipstick

Red is the Color of My True Love's Lips

photo by Murray Head

 

cardinal, sparrows, Central Park,winter birds

Standing Out in the Crowd

Photo by Murray Head

 



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Sundays in the Park with Murray could be a whole photo series unto itself…but for today I selected a few that make up a Fourth of July celebration in the middle of January.  Central Park, as you know, is a photographer’s canvas for all seasons.  Well if you read this blog, of course you know because I publish Murray’s photos depicting Central Park and its flora and fauna all through the year.  Our most recent snow fall provided a great backdrop and an integral component of this RED WHITE and BLUE  series.

Central Park, NYC, Murray Head, cardinal, snow storm

Knee Deep in Snow

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, New York City,

Blue on White Quite a Site

Photo by Murray Head

snowy branch, Central Park, New YOrk City, Murray Head

Cardinal Contemplating the Snow Situation

photo by Murray Head

Central Park New York city, Murray Head, snow storm,

Struggling Through the Snow

photo by Murray Head

bull dog, snow storm Central Park New York city, Murray head, snow saucer

Look Ma No Hands!

photo by Murray Head

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Don’t you wish you had a powerful lens like the one used to take these photos?  All you need is a bright sunny almost-Winter day in Central Park, the lens and of course the eye for spotting these little feathered creatures and the patience to capture their beauty.  I often  refer to the beauty of our world by saying Mother Nature, however, I’m really thinking that only God could create this beauty.  Today we are going to get some close-up photos of these wondrous feathered beings, and maybe a squirrel thrown in for good measure.

Nuthatch, Central Park, New York City, Murray Head

A Nuthatch - Bird not house

photo by Murray Head

 Central Park, New York city, murray head

What Kind of Bird Is This?

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, New york city, Murray Head

"Who was that masked man"?

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, Murray Head, New York City

" A Girl's Gotta Eat"

photo by Murray Head

Blue Jay, blue sky, Central park, New York city, Murray head

Mr. Blue on blue

photo by Murray Head

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