My adage is that every room needs a focal point. That includes outdoor space.
While we do enjoy the city views from our terrace, what really entertains us as we drink our coffee each morning is the sparrows who tussle on the perches of our feeder like teenaged girls fighting for mirror space in the school bathroom.
We notice how the female cardinal seems braver than the male, as she shoulders her way to the feed; and I like the mourning doves whose calling reminds me of waking in my childhood bedroom.
Though we lived in the suburbs for many years, it took living in a fourth floor condo for me to fall in love with birds.
How to do it without a mess?
I recommend the wrought iron arms (available at Logans and Wild Birds Unlimited) that you can easily attach to your railings, allowing you to extend your feeder outward from your porch. We also like our birdbath that adds interest to a corner of our porch, though it seems to provide more of a drinking trough than bath.
To our friends who ask if we don’t miss nature living in a downtown setting, we say, No. We’re closer now than ever.
Always coming and going, entertaining us with their antics, these birds are our favorite focal point.