birds, squirrels, and dog

I thought all of this year's cardinals had reached maturity but a young boy still getting his color has been visiting the tea cup. This isn't him but another handsome young fella. 

Right now I have regular song bird mix in it instead of just the sunflower seeds I usually put in there because the titmice and chickadees will fuss at me if I let it go empty. The other day a rare bluejay was checking it out. Occasionally one will perch in the tree beside it and give it a look but none has ever been brave enough to land on it. 

I finally cut off the dead branch that the squirrels would use to launch themselves at the tea cup. Doesn't stop them from getting on it, of course, but it does stop the tea cup from banging into the glass of the window, a little late since the glass is already heavily scratched where it hits, so now they have to approach from higher up, jump on the hanger and then climb or hang down. They torment Minnie who sits in my lap and growls at them. 

I hung a little bird house in the chinese fringe-flower tree that is right outside the window, the one the birds and squirrels use to approach the tea cup, and a young squirrel was very curious about just what that thing was. Because of where the birdhouse is hanging though, the squirrel couldn't get a good look at the front of it though it tried several branches and angles.