u/nodumbquestions222

26F and relatively new to finding a cocktail i like. i never really drank because i hated the taste of alcohol, but i can tolerate vodka (especially liqueurs), gin, and white rum so far. i like lots of sweet to mask the bitter of the liquor.
a vodka cran was okay, but i’ve discovered that i love a cosmo with lemon juice instead of lime. how weird is this of an order? am i describing to the bartender a fully different drink without knowing?
my current disgrace of a favorite homemade cocktail is something i’ve dubbed Baby Juice. 1 part vodka, 1 part triple sec, 1 part peach schnapps, 1 part pink whitney or lemon vodka, 0.5 part simple syrup if needed, 1 part Paloma mix, filled to the top with pink lemonade. experienced drinkers think it’s awful. i think it tastes like juice for babies. very effective at parties. i’m sorry.

over the past few months i’ve noticed a pair of cardinals coming to my balcony (virginia, US)! i love seeing them, and the female sings every morning.
over the past few days though, i’ve noticed a second female cardinal feeding alongside the couple. they seem relatively the same size; the second female has a slightly oranger beak and slightly less of a “hairdo,” (if that gives any indication of whether she’s a juvenile or any other info). the female of the original pair is constantly singing (high pitched, repetitive chirps) while flapping her wings, while the male feeds her seeds. i know that flapping her wings and the feeding seeds are typical courtship rituals, but is the constant calling? or is she trying to scare off the second female? the second female flies at the first female every few minutes or so, but is silent and doesn’t seem to insert herself in the original couple except for flying at the original female.
is the second female trying to scare off this male’s mate so she can have him? is it an unmated female trying to claim territory from this (possibly older) couple?