Cardinal moment

There's a still moment just before the sunrise each day where magical things happen.  This morning, I was treated to a view into the waking routine of cardinals.  In daylight hours, they can be so boisterous with their chipping and flashes of red, but this morning I almost missed three couples of cardinals ever-so-quietly pipping to each other as they foraged for food on the ground right near me. They were so demure and tranquil slowly working together in pairs to find seeds.  I felt as though I was stealing a private, intimate moment between couples getting ready for the day.

Now, as I look outside, they are back to whirling around the yard, chasing off other birds from the feeder.  But for a moment it was magical.