They began building the nest on May 10th. The first egg was noticed May 14th.  The second egg May 16.  The female Cardinal is responsible for building the nest of twigs, vines, some leaves, bark strips, grasses, weed stalks, rootlets and lining it with fine grasses. She usually chooses a thorny or dense shrub somewhere in her mate’s territory. Normally, within a week of completing the nest, she lays from 3 to 4 bluish, speckled eggs. Incubation begins when the third or fourth egg is laid and lasts from 11 to 13 days.