First an update: It has been confirmed that the mystery bird in yesterday’s post was a winter Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler. At first, I considered a Pine Warbler, but after contacting my friend Eric Carpenter in Austin, Texas, he indeed confirmed the yellow-rumped.
That was so much fun getting different opinions on the ID of that bird, I am thinking of maybe having a weekly contest. Let me think about that. 🙂
So now, to answer Katie (her blog), who commented to my Northern Cardinal post, by asking if I had photos of a female. Well, certainly, dear Katie, anything to satisfy my readers. Here are three of my best.
female Northern Cardinal
Image number 1, photographed July 7, 2007. Canon EOS 20D with Canon 100-400mm lens. 1/250 sec. @ f7.1, ISO 400. Partial metering and aperture priority.
female Northern Cardinal
Image number 2, photographed June 27, 2009, Canon EOS 40D with 500mm lens and 1.4 tele-converter. 1/200 sec. @ f7.1, ISO 800, minus 1/3 EV. Partial metering with aperture priority.
female Northern Cardinal
Image number 3, photographed April 29, 2008, Canon EOS 40D with Canon 500mm lens and 1.4 tele-converter. 1/200 sec. @ f7.1, ISO 800. Center-weighted metering and aperture priority.
I hope Katie and the rest of you enjoyed these photos. Anytime that you wish to request certain species photos, if I can accomodate, I certainly will, if I have some presentable photos.
Click on any of the photos to see an enlargement.
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
Looks just like or very similar to our female cardinals. I took some photos of them earlier this year – not nearly as good as yours!
They probably are the same ones as yours. I bet your photos are better than you say. 🙂
These are so lovely dear Bob, especially in the first one, as if she is giving a pose to you… Beautiful. Thank you, with my love, nia
Thank you very much, Nia
You’ve done it again Bob…you have inspired me to save for a longer lens! These are amazing!
Thanks, David. If you could at least, spring for the 100-400mm you would be extremely happy. Again, thanks so much for the compliments.
They’re here (jumping up and down in my seat 🙂 )! Thank you so much, Bob. I do love these females. They’re not so garish in their coloring (in my opinion). Just something so beautiful about the subtle nature. Great images, Bob. Love them! And thank you!
You’re so right. I love the subdued colors of the female Cardinal. Glad you like the images. 🙂
I especially love shot number three! I never realized they were called northern cardinals. Is there such a thing as a southern cardinal? Are cardinals fairly common in Texas?
Northern Cardinal is the official name. There is no southern cardinal. Yes they are quite common in Texas and the entire eastern half of the country. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Bob – I can’t get over how brilliant your photographs are! I have never been a birder (‘twitcher’ over here in the UK) but you are converting me! Have you publishing any of your work? I am also very envious that you have so many colourful species over there!
Take care
John
I have been published in about four magazines, but I have never published anything myself, except for some self-published Blurb books a few years back. I have sold many, many framed prints over the years and I probably have some in every state of the union.
I only got into specializing bird photography about three years ago. Before that it was landscapes, flowers, etc. Birds is much more fun.
I really appreciate your kind compliments, John.
I love Cardinals. They have so much character. I think it’s the crest and the orange beak. I never knew that they hung out in Texas and until we moved to Alabama I ever saw them, except for Christmas cards.
You are right, Mia. Not all females of the species have to be blah looking. 🙂
Thanks for the comment.
Bob,
I love the subtle beauty of the female Cardinals. You have captured that very nicely in these images.