Cardinal's Nest

I was challenged to do a series of bird nests. So this is a new one to add to the collection. I plan to use all my reference photos repeatedly and interpret them differently in various medium over the course of the series. I think the challenge will be the retention of my own style within and across the variety of medium.

I love the connection of the bird's homes, which are all temporary, with the idea that our own influence on the Earth, as humans, should also be temporary. The alarming volume of plastics and other human made waste is impacting our wildlife and needs to be addressed. I find it interesting, as I enter my study of bird nests, how often they manage to incorporate some of our waste in form of bits of string, strips of plastic, and other discards but primarily depend on natural material such as sticks, moss, spiderwebs, vine, leaves and pine needles to create their one of a kind creations. 

I found this nest on a path on our property while out for a walk earlier this Spring when I accidently flushed the mother Cardinal. A quick peak revealed two eggs. Several days later, I checked it again and there were still just the two eggs and I took a couple of quick photos. Then I left the nest alone for about a month. On my next visit, the eggs were gone and so were the birds. I'm hoping the mother was able to successfully raise her two chicks to join the other Northern Cardinals that regularly visit our feeders.