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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Strange Forest Cardinal

Sometimes you find certain animals in the strangest places. I found this male cardinal in the very middle of the forest, walking around on the forest floor. It was one of the oddest experiences I've had. I knew there was a bird in that area, but I had no idea what I would find or where I would find it.

Even though the pictures look sort of bright, it was actually very dark in the forest where I was. I kept hearing a bird call that sounded different than I've ever heard. It was an odd pinging sound. I've heard cardinals before, but they never sounded like this. I knew I was hearing a bird, but I thought it was a new one for me.

The sound echoed through the forest in a very eerie way that made it hard to tell just exactly where it was coming from. I knew the general area, but I couldn't tell really from what height it was coming from. Then I began hearing small rustling sounds on the ground. I guess that may be why I didn't know the height, because it was so unexpected. Usually only robins go to the forest floor.

But then I spotted a flash of red in the shadows behind some of the plants. I had to tell myself more than once that I was really seeing what I thought I saw. Not only was it a cardinal, but it was spying on me from behind the plants. I actually watched as it would hide and then peek out at me. It did this several times.

Here it is peeking out at me. I guess now that I write this that it might be assumed that the bird was somehow injured, but that never occurred to me at the time. It acted perfectly healthy, and it even flew around a bit. No injury there.

I still kept watching for that pinging sound though. It didn't sound like it was coming from the floor of the forest. I kept looking up into the trees. Finally, a I studied this cardinal some more, I saw that it was indeed the creature that was making that odd sound. It was somehow projecting its voice up and away from it. Maybe more deception?

It seemed after a few minutes that this cardinal was making these sounds for my benefit. I don't know whether it was trying to communicate with me or it was trying to trick me into going away. Either way, it kept looking at me as if it was talking right to me.

After awhile it finally grew tired of this game and flew away to another part of the forest. Maybe I missed something significant here. Maybe it was a magical bird that wanted to grant me a wish or give me riches beyond my wildest dreams. A once in a lifetime chance, and I blew it by not being smart enough to understand a birdbrain. Oh well. Better luck next time with the next magical wish granting bird.


Nature Center Magazine - Find out what site Emma is featuring today in her Nature Site Of The Week. I know you're all nature lovers, otherwise you wouldn't be here. So go see what she has for you. Don't miss out like I did with that bird.

17 comments:

  1. I wonder if Dr. Doolittle has a book out "how to talk to the animals" you'll want to be prepared for the next 3 wish opportunity. Nice pictures hopefully I have better luck capturing them in my back yard

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  2. What an adventure you had, and the result is the great pictures of this cardinal. I haven't seen one with black markings around its face before.

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  3. It is one of the spirit in the jungle. You have long missed them, and the red one showed up this time.

    You may see more and more later.

    Look out!

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  4. When you spend as much time as you do bouncing around the woods you see all kinds of things. This one is really a bit of a mystery to me. It almost appears as if it was trying to distract you, much like some mother birds do when they feign a broken wing and lead a predator away from her chicks.

    I really don't have a clue as to what was going on here.

    Bill:www.wildramblings.com

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  5. It is odd and noteworthy that you would find a Cardinal in deep woods or rather he found you. According to Native American lore...this sighting would be a sign to remind you there are opportunities for you to renew your vitality and recognize that all you do has importance. His whistle or call suggests to pay attention to what is blowing on the winds and/or to listen closely to what is being said around you.

    What a cool experience with equally cool pictures to prove it happened!

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  6. DH is green with envy. He loves this bird and you captured its picture so well.

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  7. that's definitely an awesome experience, it seemed to me he called you to find him :) and now you have his beautiful pictures here and a wonderful story to tell

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  8. How wonderful Ratty, to have an experience like that. Maybe he was trying to tell you something, give you a warning or maybe he needed help of some sort since he was not flying but on the ground. Very special journey you had there.

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  9. That was an awesome experience, Ratty! You are going to laugh, but they say departed loved ones often appear as colorful birds to you just when you need them to. Does that apply to you?
    Regardless, it is a gorgeous Cardinal photo (all of them) and I am insanely jealous....we hardly see any Cardinals here and when they do come, they only stay a few seconds and fly off before I can get a shot of them with my shutter. I LOVE the one where he is peeking out at you!

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  10. I'm pretty familiar with Cardinals, being that I'm originally from Ohio. We often get them in Florida, but I've never seen them walking around on the ground. That's an odd behavior for them. Maybe they were looking for their mate.

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  11. It's interesting what you say about departed loved ones, Retired One. Alice says that if she finds a feather it means that someone she loved (and who is now gone)is thinking of her. She usually can tell me who sent the message of love too.

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  12. What a cute and curious little bird! Thank you for sharing.

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  13. I love to hear the cardinals. Especially when the male is calling to his mate. You are lucky it stayed long enough for you to get these great shots!

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  14. Maybe that Cardinal just looking for some acorn Ratty..

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  15. He really was checking you out! I wonder what his story was.

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  16. What great pictures you got of that cardinal, Ratty. Maybe he was just trying to reward you for all the solitary time you spend in the forest and, with all the trees and growth, he figured you wouldn't spot him unless he got down on the ground. I think the word has gotten out through critter calls that "the wierd man is okay...the box he holds up to his face doesn't shoot bullets and he hasn't hurt any of us yet and, actually, acts thrilled when he sees us!"

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  17. Definitely it was communicating. This kinda attitude change is kinda hard to grasp but I'm sure it approached you as it felt no threat from you. Brace yourself Ratty, there'll be tons more jungle dwellers who'd wanna meet and greet you in person. ^__^

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