Two Cardinals

February 2, 2025

Two Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) in a Flowering Dogwood tree (Cornus florida) about two weeks ago, puffed up against the very cold temperatures. That day, and today, quite similar. High temperature for both days only creeping to the mid-thirties.

Cardinals are monogamous, staying together from the mating season through the winter. Some Cardinals though will find other mates after that time period. The rest, about eighty percent, stay together for their entire lives.

It is wonderful to see Cardinals during the winter. After seeing isolated pairs during the mating season, winter brings on a different scene with many gathering together to find food. I will easily see ten at a time when I put out hulled sunflower seeds.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

4 thoughts on “Two Cardinals”

  1. Brenda, I’m getting your daily emails, they don’t include the photos. Where do I need to look?

  2. Hi Grace!

    I assume you mean you are getting my blog on your phone. Just click on the blog post address at the bottom and it will take you to the whole post, including the photo.

    Thanks for reading my posts!
    Bren

    1. Hi again Grace. Just checked in with Bill about this, since I don’t get my blog on my phone. On his phone, if he goes down to the bottom on the post and taps the BLUE BOX that says (there’s a check mark and . . . ) SUBSCRIBED, hit that box and it will take you to the post. Hope that works for you!

      Thanks for reading my posts.
      Bren

  3. With our warmer temperatures for the past 3 days, one male cardinal has been singing his springtime breeding song! Over and over and over! A bit early I would say. ☺️

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