My red friend

I took down my bird feeders last fall because there were so many mice in the garage, and when I found their nests they were full of sunflower seeds collected from under the feeders.
Instead I have been putting out peanuts in the shell on the deck for the blue jays, cardinals and other visitors who stop by every morning.
One male cardinal has been particularly attentive, perching near the deck and waiting to sneak a few peanuts out from under the more aggressive jays. I have often found him on the doorstep when I open the slider, and he only retreats to the nearby shrubs when I toss the peanuts.
Here he is waiting one recent morning perched on my fig tree:

 There were no mice in the walls this winter (it's been a persistent and very annoying problem), and very few caught in the traps in the garage, and I may never put a feeder up again.
 Even without a feeder, my yard, which is  is planted with many mature berried shrubs, is prime bird habitat. The adjoining woods and fields mean that I see a wide range of birds in the garden throughout the year.  But the cardinal on the deck every morning has become more than a passing resident of the yard -- he's become a friend.