i love spending my saturdays searching for birds
That is awesome, are you a part of the audubon society? Is that how you got started in bird watching?
no i have always liked watching birds. maybe i should consider joining
It is a great organization of like minded people and very easy to get involved. They are community focused on the science and enjoyment of birds. You may even get a free shirt if you join soon. 
is a nation wide organization?
Yes, they are nation wide and really popular in places like California and Washington. Cardinals are a brilliant red color, they also migrate.
those are my favorite birds. absolutely beautiful
They are so beautiful and the males are the ones who are the bright red. The males use the red to swoon the females to them. 
what color are females?
They can be difficult to decipher but generally the females are a lighter brownish red and not that brilliant red that you are used to being drawn to. Having binoculars are the best way to zoom in and look at the color.