Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

I first noticed her late one afternoon when I arrived home. She was sitting on Japanese Honeysuckle vines that had grown over a pile of bricks. It was blowing a gale but there she was, basking in the later afternoon sun. She was puffed up to increase the insulating effect of her feathers.

I was surprised that she didn’t fly off. I was able to back the car up and pull a little closer, wind the window down, and take these initial pictures. I parked the car and, camera in hand, slowly walked towards her. I got within about 6-7 meters before she became quite nervous. Instead of flying off, she hopped down into the tussle of vines and hid.

A little later she was up on the vines again. So I pushed my luck. I circled around and approached again by walking up behind the tractor which was parked quite close to where she was sitting. I got within 5 meters this time. Finally, however, she thought this intrusion into her space was too much.

She flew off. But not away from where she was sitting but up into the Pecan tree under which I was standing. She hopped from branch to branch, watching me.

A few days later I saw her again. She was sitting in the sun again probably listening to the male which had perched in a tree about 20 meters away and was singing his little heart out.

Then she paid me what I consider to be a high compliment from a bird. She became so unconcerned about my presence that she proceeded to groom and ignore me completely.
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Identification resource:
- The Cornell Institute of Ornithology: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)