food vs. perceived safety

Now that the birds are coming frequently to the food outside Isabel's window, I have been putting out more sunflower seeds. I put some on the flagstones; I also trail handsful along the 2x6 railing of the ramp and deck, and put a little pile on the tabletop just outside the window. When the seed is newly placed, the birds - juncos, chickadees, a couple or three blue jays, and a pair of cardinals - tend to stay on the far rail. When that one is bare they move up to the ramp rail that slants up to the house. Then when they're forced to, they will come right up outside the window.These juncos a couple of days ago have made it to the middle stage of the process. I will need to get some better photos after washing the window.

This morning a fox squirrel had no shyness about sitting right outside the window and chowing down.