Stepped into the back yard to check the sky, and spotted one of the neighborhood cats. A young calico. They didn't bolt and sat there as I talked to them from 40 feet away.

My first thought: "Are they hungry?"

Went inside grabbed a paper plate, put some of Gus's kibble on it and went back out.

Cat was gone, but I set the plate on a spot in the yard where they might feel safe eating.

I watched the plate from inside, through the sliding glass door. Within a minute, two birds flew in, grabbed a nugget and flew off.

Set my camera to zoom, focused on the plate and waited.

This Cardinal is one of a pair who are nesting in the big round-top shrub above the blue chair. They flew down, and observed the food from a distance, then inched closer and closer, looking around.

They took one nugget and flew back into the shrub, then returned for another, and another.