In My Own Backyard...

I was so looking forward to going for a walk this morning, but it was cold and overcast with periodic light rain showers.  Where was I going to find a suitable silhouette for the Mono Monday challenge?  Okay, I thought to myself, we have that huge derelict tree in our backyard, so I thought I would use that as a backup if I couldn't work out anything else.  So, I opened my back door, though it was raining slightly, took a couple of shots of the tree and then I saw him.  The male Cardinal was sitting in a spot in the tree,  neatly framed, and I knew that I had my blip.  Oh, I took more pictures, when the White-wing Doves came by, but nothing else was as good.  The overcast sky and high shutter speed provided the dark effect I wanted.  I just had to crop it and tweak the shadows ever so slightly.  Thanks to Heanku for hosting.....