Remember my post a few days ago about the naughty birds? I determined I was entirely too quick to assume the birds did it. My aunt said maybe a squirrel did it, but I said, "No, I haven't seen a Charlie on my balcony all spring." For those of you new to my blog, Charlie is another name for any and all squirrels. Too long to go into now, besides I may have already explained this last year, so just nod your head and keep reading.

Saturday afternoon, I was sitting in the living room, next to the sliding glass door, watching tv. A movement caught my eye out on the balcony. I turned my head very slowly, and sure enough, there was a Charlie (squirrel) on my balcony, looking for all that seed he'd emptied from the bucket. When he couldn't find it, he decided he'd try getting it from the bird feeder instead. He jumped onto the railing, then leaped onto the top of the feeder.

I thought for sure there was no way he'd figure out how to lean over the side to get seed, the feeder almost isn't big enough for him to sit on, let alone lean over head first and feed.

He turned this way and that, reaching up to hold onto the cord used to hang the feeder on the hook, determined to find a way to get that seed!

Sideways didn't work too well. What will he try next?

There ya go! Use your back claws to grip the opposite edge, lean down head first and use your front feet to grab that seed and stuff your face.

It's even better if you twist your body around, so the silly humans watching you and taking stupid pictures will ooooh and aaaah at your acrobatics.

After being chased off the feeder, jumping to the bricks of the building, leaping to safety in the tree, then scurrying down to the ground, Charlie digs around in the droppings to see if there's anything good left to munch on.

My apologies to the birds for saying they were naughty. I jumped to conclusions without any hard facts. Since it appears Charlie is quite adept at getting seed from the feeder, it wouldn't surprise me if he was the culprit with the holey bucket. Bucket problem is fixed now too. I went to Home Depot on Saturday and adopted an orange round bucket alien that was willing to trade shelter for seed holding. He's an indoor bucket after all!