Squirrel in the City

European Red Squirrel

Who says just because you live in the city, or have *just* a balcony garden, you don't get to attract and admire wildlife? Well, whoever it is is wrong, very wrong!

Despite being on the corner of my building, and despite it being quite windy up here, I have been able to experience a multitude of different kinds of wildlife on my little balcony paradise! Despite Punxsutawney Phil's forcast the other day, I sit bundled up in my apartment, waiting for spring and longing for a nice and lush, green balcony, where I can enjoy a nice dinner with freshly-picked herbs and vegetables and look out at sunrise over the skyline....

I digress - unfortunately do think it is a little to early to allow myself to be consumed with thoughts of Spring and gardening outdoors on my balcony in a warm breeze, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything out there running or flying around that can't be taken care of and enjoyed!

You wonder how a squirrel made it to my 4th floor balcony? This is not the first time, but an explanation is there - the tree only a few yards from my balcony, separating our building from the neighboring one. It's a weeping willow type tree, not too tall to block the sun but tall (and dense) enough to provide a natural curtain in the summer from the neighbor's curiosities. The tree is also inviting as stopping point for birds on the go around the neighborhood, as well as squirrels, so they also jump/hop/flutter over to my balcony for a bite to eat as well. This squirrel even stayed still long enough for me to get close enough for this photo, wow!

Last Winter was better for them since I left more plants to go to seed on my balcony than I did last year, providing the birds and squirrels with lots of food and shelter. Not only did I receive visits from a few red  squirrels (the variety they have over here, also less abundant and smaller than in the USA), but also a variety of colorful birds! Yellow, red, brown, they came in many colors. I think they were finches (possibly a Greenfinch) and different types of swallows and warblers, but I also get some bigger birds like the black-billed magpie, also common to the area.

I saw that one of my neighbors hung a little suet bag on their balcony, maybe I will do the same! My little wildlife nature preserve! :) Come birdies, come! And come Spring, come!