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The Finch and the Cardinal
(lighter than air!)
Ó
Copyright, All Rights
Reserved,
Barry W. Hollritt,
2007
I named this photograph “The
Finch and the Cardinal” because it sounded like an English pub picture!
What is amazing about this photograph is that the House Finch wasn’t
even part of the image as I began to photograph the Northern Cardinal on
the stump! The bird just appeared in the viewfinder as I pressed the
shutter! I had taken images of Northern Cardinals for over an hour when
I saw one alight on the stump you see in this image. I had turned my
lens to the stump, focused and pressed the shutter. Just as the shutter
responded, the smaller House Finch roared into the scene and landed on
the stump. Thus became, “The Finch and the Cardinal”. The image
appears almost un-natural, so I’ve decided to include with my writing,
the second image in the sequence of exposures to show that it really
happened like this. Since the wings of the finch are preserved
downward, and the single leg is preparing for the landing, the
photograph has a feeling of Lightness. It is almost like it is Lighter
than air! Since I have never photographed finches, or for that matter,
cardinals, until I moved to Ohio, I had to do a little research into
both breeds to feel a bit more comfortable with this treasure of an
image.
The House Finch, or Linnet, is
originally a species of the Western USA and Mexico. In 1940, wild birds
illegally sold as "Hollywood Finches" in New York were released in that
city by dealers anxious to avoid prosecution. In 1943, these released
birds were reported breeding in the New York area. By 1971, breeding
populations extended along the east coast from New England to North
Carolina. Their populations continued to expand westward. Reports of
these birds in Indiana were sporadic in the mid 1970's. Now, this
species is widespread over much of the USA and southern Canada .“The
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a member of the cardinal
family of birds in North America.. The bird's name comes from the
red-robed Roman Catholic Cardinals. Its crested head is also said to
resemble a bishop’s mitre. Cardinals have been also referred to as
redbirds and Virginia nightingales. Cardinals were once popular cage
birds for their bright color and rich, varied songs.
Barry W. Hollritt
973-464-7114
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