Sunday Morning

I awoke this morning to the sound of cardinals calling.  I believe they nest in the spruce tree close to my bedroom window.  Cardinals have such a sweet song.  This cardinal had a song that started with four whistles and then a fast chirrping like a machine gun. The first whistle rose at the end as if the bird was asking a question.  I thought it was saying, "Ready? One! Two! Three! Ratatatatatatatatat!" The bird repeated this message a dozen times.  Then it either moved to another branch or turned it's head away from me because now the song wasn't nearly so loud.  Plus the first whistle was dropped so I heard, "One! Two! Three! Ratatatatatatat!"  Only one bird was talking this morning.  Why so loud Mr. or Mrs. Cardinal?  To whom do you sing?  How does your singing benefit you because it looks to me like a lot of energy goes into these songs plus the cardinal is giving away it's location.  Given the cardinal is such a bright color of red all year long they are pretty careful about being out in the open.  I see them come to my feeders only at dawn and dusk.  Usually I see the male come first while the female waits in a nearby tree.  When he is done he stands guard in the tree while she eats.  Cardinals sure are beautiful birds.