A different looking male cardinal - Update

He seems to have a little more feathers maybe.I do hope he is better.

 

Red was back today, :-D I was glad to spot him it had been more than a week. He was one of the 12 plus cardinals that showed up today. I think he's lost a few more feathers but he seems healthy and hungry. Here is the photo of him I took today.


Red 3/2/2010 ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

 

It does seem to be progressing. I hope that he doesn't "infect" the others.
Thanks for the update.

 

I think he probably still has mites and keep scratching but that just a guess.

 

For those of you who followed "Red" last winter...he's back this week. I have not seen him since I posted the last photo in early March. I was so excited to see he is still with us. I worried when he disappeared in March. Looks like he still has mites as his facial feathers are still missing. Sadly, he now has a problem with his wing... but he can fly, it just does not retract all the way. I've seen him 3 days in a row.


He's back ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

 

Oh I'm so glad to see this update. I have been wondering about him. I hope he knows he has a Garden Stew fan club.

 

Hi Gail,
i was reading your thread on "Red",..very interesting!,..and of course a bit of a mystery about his condition,..he reminds me of the time i had Chickens and Duck,..they would from time to time get mites,..and other fowl would constantly pick at the mites and feathers would be removed to the extent you ended up with a bald chicken or duck.
I always assumed there were two type of Red Cardinals,..the Northern Cardinal being the more red of the two,..like your Red,..i hope his wing repairs itself,..and knock on wood mites have not started on his wing,..i look forward to updates.

 

Thanks for the update, Gail. I think about this fellow from time to time and wonder how he is getting along.
Curious thing--that wing of his. It sure seems as if he needs attention. Too bad you can't capture him and let a vet have a look.
I do find it a good sign that the baldness has not spread further.

 

I'm glad to see Red too. Maybe he's getting on in age? At least he can both fly and eat.