Before I came to this area I knew nothing about these birds. They are actually part of the Cardinal family. This is the one small bird I do work to photograph.
These fairly common finches breed in the coastal Southeast and in the south-central U.S., where they often come to feeders. They are often caught and sold illegally as cage birds, particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean, a practice that puts pressure on their breeding populations.
After you have seen one male you always look around to see another. Stunning birds.
And as to be expected, they are shy.
The small bird photographers will wait by sunflower fields for them. That is a spectacular image. I have never photographed one on a sunflower.
These are beautiful Ted! Well captured!
Thank you. They are common around here this time of year. I just never see them. People have them in their backyard. Me, I only see them in this marsh grass, 4 miles out into an old plantation rice field. Not my ‘white whale’ but close to it. 🙂
So, so beautiful!
A beautiful little bird! I’d love to see this one sometime.
You might be on the edge of their most northern range. It was eastern North Carolina but the way weather has changed keep looking out your window LOL. I had never seen one until we moved to Charleston.
Maybe someday, I’ll be in the right place at the right time. 🙂
Such a beautiful bird. Lovely shots, I particularly like the “head tilt” photo.
Thanks. Another of the birds down here that I had never seen before. They are only here for the summer breeding, then back down to Mexico and South America.
Gorgeous captures, Ted! I’m still trying to get my first shot of one of these, I’m jealous!
Do they go that far north now? All the animals ranges have changed, never know anymore.
Not to the mid-Atlantic, unfortunately. 🙁 I’ve seen them in flight in SC and FL, but each time and every time I was caught off guard. The shots you and Ellen got are beautiful, with him sitting still so pretty!
Thanks. Like you most of the time all I see is a flash of color flying by 🙂