Mocker building a nest

The nest is being constructed in a topiary next to our front porch. The mocker allows me to sit on my front porch while he diligently builds not bothered. I am only a few feet away. You can see he even lands on one of my chairs. The nest is about 4 feet off the ground. It is under the eave of the house and next to a bush line. The mockers built in the same exact location last year. It is perfect because the nestlings can fled right to the podicarpus bush that goes around my porch. They don't have to jump out of anything.

...and that's a big branch buddy! Good luck with that... 

Fluffy Mocker

A fluffy mocker. This looks like a girl to me but I don't have any idea. Sitting in a oak tree just outside our yard. I thought she looked full of eggs and here is what whatbird.com user said,

"They lay one egg a day, and don't hang on to them for very long. You can tell when a bird's getting close to laying if you have them in the hand, but in the field the feathers obscure so much of a bird's outline that you can't really see it. " Everyone on the forum just thinks she is fluffy.

"Mockingbirds are natural pest controllers, consuming large quantities of beetles, ants, wasps, and grasshoppers. By eating a variety of berries and other fruits, they also assist plants by dispersing seeds. And their beautiful singing is an invaluable accompaniment to suburban life in South Florida."

source: www1.broward.edu/~ssimpson/mockingbird.htm

Mockingbird and the Loquat fruit

Many birds eat the loquat fruit but the Mockingbird OWNS it, when the mocker shows up, the rest have to leave. This is the favorite source of food in our yard. It is in constant use, with birds taking turn racing in and out all day. Even the squirrels LOVE it. It gets hundreds of fruit and not one goes to waste. They even eat the ones that fall to the ground.

Mockingbird Delights

Mockers LOVE just about any fruit or berry tree/bush, seeds, lizards, are very territorial,(no one dares mess with their fruit or any part of their life for that matter), and sing endlessly. Currently at this time of year, our loquat tree is flowering and blooming fruit. The mocker adores these and has been more and more dominant in the backyard with the cardinals becoming less (they manned the yard all summer). The Mockingbird is the Florida state bird. They nested in our backyard the spring of 2011. Patience is required on humans as they will nest in a public pathway and their protective tendencies can be misinterpreted. Like, they'll dive bomb ya so take cover! More frightening than anything. I don't think this small little bird could actually hurt you. The rewards of being able to watch the babies grow up and learn to be independent in your yard is worth it though. One of the cutest things (outside of 4 babies playing in a ceramic water dish), I think we ever saw was them being fed podicarpus berries on our front porch. It is quite a task for a baby to learn how to get that berry in their mouth themselves. It takes practice and time to develop the skill,and makes for a very messy porch.

A cute puffed up Mockingbird enjoys the Loquat Tree in our yard on this brisk sunny morning.

Mocker dining on the firecracker bush berry.

Mocker at the feeder munching on seeds-seems to be a new thing for him. Never seen him at the feeder before. I think he just wants to take it from the Cardinals. This is their favorite feeder which is actually a standing candle holder I took the glass out of.

And this is a great big ole peanut in his mouth!