Sub-tenants

One day, while in bed, I noticed comings and goings of some birds in the proximity of my window that prompted me to investigate this ‘wing traffic’.  Sure enough, I discovered that, tucked in a corner, positioned underneath the base of the balcony above my apartment, some swallows had built a nest. 

I was surprised that such an activity would take place at this height, since I am on the 12^th floor, but, leave it to animal survival wisdom, this corner could not be any safer or cozier.  It is way above the tree line of the boulevard below, where heavy human traffic never seems to end, and well exposed, while being shaded from the blistering midday sun by the above balcony bottom. 

This brings back memories of my childhood in Italy, where, in my grandparents’ country home the swallows would return punctually every year to rebuilt and refurbish about a dozen nests in the same spots they had left them the previous fall. 

The trail they leave behind is a bit messy, as it can be seen also in these pictures.  In Italy their nests were all at ground level, but the house, and adjacent garden, except for my playing and running around, were very quiet places. The swallows actually flew in and out, just above our heads, knowing that they were completely undisturbed by us, and so they shall remain here until they wish to stay.