Happy New Year!

How did I ring in the New Year?  Doing one thing I love best....chasing down some cardinal photos!  My sister and her happy crew came over to play in the foot deep snow and stayed for lunch.  After several exclaims of a cardinal sighting out the window, I ended up eating perched on the counter with my camera in hand waiting for the bright red flash to reappear in the tree outside our kitchen.

After eating a hasty lunch I bundled up and traipsed outside to try and stalk not one, or two, but THREE males cardinals who were in the bird feeders by the woods.  It was tough to get close enough for a frame filling shot, but I got some cool far away shots that really show how brilliant their plumage is in the winter white snow, or the drab brown/gray forest.


I also got some lovely shots of lady cardinal....love, love, LOVE, this girl's super reddish highlights....a lot of females are a little more olive and less blush.  Nice to kick off 2013 with a little photo fun. 

A few extra fun shots at the bottom too, of my friendly furry assistants!

 
Look closely at the above photo.  I liked the shot of lady cardinal, but I couldn't figure why the shot had a weird blur almost blocking her...then I realized that it was a male goldfinch in flight!  He must have flown right into the frame without my realizing it!  So, I thought that it was cool and decided to share it.

Blowing this pop stand!

The shot that made me gear up and go out....and you know that layering with snow gear is a pain for 20 minutes of shooting so you know I really wanted those shots...BAD!

Are you looking at me?

Why did you leave us inside?

By J.R. Miller, 1913

We ought to make something of every year. They should be like new steps on the stairs, lifting our feet a little higher. We ought not to live any two years on the same plane. To be content with any attainment even for two days, is not living at our best. 

What a faithful photo companion to brave the snowy cold!  Poor kitty still doesn't realize that on bird shoots she scares my subjects!  Luckily she only followed as far as the dog's nerd path went and then turned back.