New birdfeeder @35mm f/1.8 and 1/200 shutter, ISO 100

Yesterday I had to replace the old plastic birdfeeder, after the squirrels chewed it, gnawed the plastic hanger, sending it crashing to the ground... 

So, my wife and I found a metal one, a little more heavy duty, and filled it with sunflower seeds.  The birds immediately took to it and it's now half empty.

I was on the outdoor patio, drinking coffee, and decided to get out my Nikon D3500 with the AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G "prime" lens, and got as close as I could at f/1.8 to get some serious blurred background.  Maybe too much bokeh, I don't know.

I'm wondering why you didn't get a shot of one of the plethora of birds that visited it.

You might reconsider your devotion to a pleasing bokeh at the expense of getting all of the bird in focus. From what I see, the front rim of the perch and the hood are out of focus while the sunflower seeds look good. That raises a question about what gets to be in focus with a bird sitting on the perch with its head in the seeds at f/1.8. It'll be more of an issue if you sit farther away and use a longer focal length lens at the same aperture.

Every time I went outside, the birds (Chickadees, Cardinals, etc...) all flew away. I'd wait and wait, and perhaps, they are camera-shy.

This is why you need a Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 in your life, then you do not need to get outside! Sit inside with a cup of coffee or tea and just wait for the birds and shoot through the window