mock-yeah! ing-yeah! bird-yeah!

Here's an adorable gold finch at our backyard feeder. Isn't he lovely? During the winter, the gold part is a greyish-yellow. They turn golden in the spring to attract the ladybirds.
In other birdy-news, a mockingbird couple has decided to build a nest on our front door! Luckily, we don't use that door very often, and I am really hoping that we will soon have baby birdies! The mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas, and one of the easiest for me to identify by sight. According to Wild Bird Watching.com, "The nest construction of the Northern Mockingbird is done by both the male and female. Although the male does most of the work.(!)

The nest is built within 2 or 3 days. Five or six nests may be built during the annual breeding period. The nest is a bulky structure of twigs upon which a compact mass of leaves, grasses, moss, hair, or artificial fibers is placed. The interior cup is lined with fine, soft rootlets, wool or bits of string. Located about 3 to 10 feet above ground.

The female lays 3 to 5 pale blue or green eggs that are blotched with russet or cinnamon. She then incubates the eggs about 11 to 13 days. Both parents feed the hatchlings for about 12 days. The entire procedure of incubation and fledging approximates between 23 to 25 days."

Hopefully I can get some pics of the little family without getting my eyes pecked out or anything. Mama mockingbirds are known to be a little defensive!