Red and Mrs. are my Northern Cardinal couple who live in a cholla cactus in the wash beyond our backyard fence. They have been arriving daily, but separately. Perhaps there are babies on the way and someone has to be in the nest at all times?
Red arrived and sat on his favorite pink flamingo. I watched him nibble and bite at the flamingo’s head. Maybe seeds blew down from the tree onto the flamingo?
Mrs. watched quail, a mourning dove and house sparrow devour a seed block.
I saw a strange sight. Two female cardinals together on our patio. They flew away before I could get a photo. One was larger than the other. I googled how or why two females would be together. First, I learned that it could be due to an abundance of birds in the area — which we have. Second, it could be mother and fledgling.
Mother cardinals are dedicated caregivers, often seen feeding and guiding their fledglings, which are brown-grey with dark beaks and sparse feathers. Fledglings leave the nest within 10-12 days but rely on parents to feed them for several more weeks while learning to fly. Parents, including the mother, frequently feed young on the ground or in low shrubs. –Allaboutbirds.org
Red got tired of being ignored by the flamingo, so he moved on.
The papa quail and mourning dove were more sociable to Red than the stuffy flamingo.
Mrs. told a quail couple about her visit with the other female cardinal.
Mrs. found a perch on the cactus statue to watch over the backyard actors.
Red gave the flamingo one more chance to chat.
Which is your favorite photo and why?
