Where's my camera when I need it?

Damn! The camera was too far away when I looked outside and saw the two cardinals perched on the branch of the tree. There they were, a male and a female, doing the spring mating ritual. Just a few inches away from each other, she had her back to him, shaking her tail feathers. I always thought that was just a saying, but she was literally shaking her tail feathers at him and he ignored her. He moved a little farther away from her, and she shook her tail feathers again. But he moved still farther away. Again, she shook those feathers for all she was worth.

The dance continued for a while, with her following and him ignoring her. Now I always thought it was the other way around in nature.... he's horny, she's ignoring. But not with these cardinals. No matter how much she shook that tail of hers, he just kept moving away. Eventually he moved close enough for them to touch beaks, and then he turned and left again. What a tease!

How cool is this? But I can sure relate to that female cardinal. Shake those tail feathers, and the guy runs away. Ha!

By the time I went to get the camera and came back, they had moved too far out of my range. Moving closer scared them off, so no pic of this randy pair. But the camera is staying close in case they come back to give me a show again!