The Crimson King

We cherish the family of northern cardinals who live in our yard. My husband adores them, and he spoils them. When any of them show up at the feeder, he is anxious to please them.

We started out with a male and a female. This past spring into summertime, they nested in the big lilac bush by our bedroom window. We'd look out to see a tiny red head in the nest.

It eventually became clear that the new arrival was a male. Every morning, my husband wished him a good day. The little bird grew up eventually and left the nest, but of an occasional sunny afternoon, we would see him visiting the nest and hanging out there again.

Now that the temperatures have dropped, the birds have been showing up for their several-times-daily servings of chopped nuts. My husband has placed two feeding stations in the front yard, as well as fresh trays of water in several locations.

This is a picture of one of the male cardinals visiting the feeding tray. To be honest, I can't tell whether it is the adult male or the young one. Whichever one he is, with his bright red suit, he is surely the crimson king of the yard.

The soundtrack: King Crimson, with In the Court of the Crimson King. Here are two versions, one four and a half minutes long, the other a seven-and-a-half-minute live version. Enjoy!