It's a soap opera out there!

We have a suction-cup birdfeeder at one of the kitchen windows. The orignal one hung for nearly 15 years before literally falling apart. All attempts to replace it have been met with zero findings at eBay except one. The original cost $80 and I was prepared to bid $100, but when it went for over $200, I was flabbergasted. The manufacturer needs to take a hint.

But that's not the story.

I replaced it with two fairly pitiful (in comparison) bin-type suction-cup bird feeders. The squirrels have taken them over but as the summer has worn on, the house finches have become bolder. While not succeeding in chasing the squirrel away, they have at least established a detente of sorts: they're on one bin while he is on the other.

This morning however, it was a different story being told. A female house finch perched on the top of the wooden fence. Doing his best to woo her was a most vocal male. His plumage is bright red and he would stretch his neck out and sing a lovely song at the top of his lungs. Not convincing her from her right side, he would take a short hop-flight to her left and pick up the tune. She would occasionally hop toward him, but it was an aggressive move. Undeterred, he'd take up another position and continue.

He was undeterred however, only until baby male cardinal showed up. Baby male cardinals have features only their mothers can love. The red feathers aren't fully in and they look like they need a haircut. He landed not 6 inches from our amorous male finch and didn't leave. Tilting his head as if he was trying to figure out what was going on, he would hop toward the pair who would hop away. He'd edge closer, his head tilting up and down as he contemplated what was going on. In the meantime, the male finch hopped to the other side of the female (no spirit of protection here) and stopped singing. Finally, spying the bird feeder, the cardinal changed his mind on which was more important, a birds-and-bees lesson or food, and went for the sunflower seed. The finches left in disgust and my entertainment was over.

And you thought cleaning up the kitchen was dull!