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Photo of the Month - December 2009

Photo of the Month

Your photo could be featured as Nature Canada's Photo of the Month.

1. Tell us your name, where you took the photo, and a brief description or story explaining the photo.

2. Image should be a .jpg file, smaller than 1MB.

3.When you submit a photo, you agree to allow Nature Canada to use your photo on our Web site, enewsletter, ecards and other educational materials. Every effort will be made to credit you as the photographer.

Hello Nature Canada,

I went out in early February to Wimot Creek Park in Toronto to photograph Cardinals which seem to be there every winter. On the day I was there the birds were very skittish and the slightest movement caused them to fly away. I settled down with my camera and big lens on a tripod and waited. Someone had left out birdseed and eventually hunger overcame fear and the cardinals came down one by one. One of the images I took that day is attached.

Jonathan Ward
Toronto, ON

Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo with us, Jonathan! This Northern Cardinal looks so cheerful and ready to brighten any winter scene.

Northern Cardinals do not migrate and can be found year-round in backyards, parks, and woodlots throughout southern Ontario and Quebec.

With their conspicuous red plumage, male cardinals are often a great introductory bird for bird watching. Females are brown in colour with red accents, but still sport the distinctive crest.

Northern Cardinals are definitely birds in a festive mood, as their song can sound like "cheer, cheer, cheer!"

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