Ms. Cardinal

I know. I'm really lazy lately. It'll pass!

Ms. Northern Cardinal was using her massive nutcracker of a beak on a sunflower seed. I accidentally bought a seed mix with seeds in actual shells. I usually buy the "no waste" seeds that are already hull free.

Word to the wise - if you ever have occasion to hold a cardinal in your hands, try to be wearing leather gloves. They are very bitey and that bill can really pinch hard. And they aren't going to let go of you until you let go of them! They particularly like to go for that tender spot between your thumb and your index finger...