I think those are good pictures. It looks like you set up the photograph like a studio with the pink drape. I don't notice mine on the suet so much. Maybe that is why they are the original cat and dog food stealers along with a wren. Pet food has fat in it. In this weather they all were taking it. I got 25 pounds of sun flower seed at Wal-Mart yesterday, the feed store wasn't opened on Sunday. I don't get much at Wal-Mart because I think it is cheaper at the feed store. I got 6 suet cakes but I like the ones at the feed store better.

It's really hard to tell from the picture but I think the first one is a house finch. They also have a notch just not as deep. Purple finches (males) have a raspberry colored wash all along the back of their necks and wings that HF's don't have. HF are not native to this area but have spread all over the US due to being kept as pets in the past and are very common. The female PF's have a much more striking head marking so you can identify them that way. Here is a link that might be useful: Differentiate house vs. purple finch

The hawk in Menifee, CA can only be a Cooper's Hawk but it is an oddly-colored one. Something going on with the feathers, such as a heavy molt or missing feathers for some other reason. If you have other photos please post.

Oh I'm in love!!! I love, love, love baby birds, big birds, little birds, young birds, old birds. Yeah; I love those faces. (Is anyone surprised! LOL)