There is a new Indian restaurant next door to my office, and the owner hug some feeders on the tree just over the fence between our buildings where I have to go to smoke during the day. Today I brought the camera to catch some of the birds.
That restaurant has a really ugly sidewalk awning. I didnt even notice it when I shot the picture, but I was very happy how the flash muted the color of the awning and softened it and made it into a pretty background.. I was very lucky! Thanks!
Your neighbour is a tree hugger? Anyway, try a net or a grenade launcher for catching birds, cameras just blind them with the flash, but they can still be a real bugger to bag even when they can't see!