Flying Squirrel Caught On Video Visiting Fairfax Home Early Wednesday

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — A flying squirrel was recorded early Wednesday morning by the Ring camera, as it visited the home of a Patch reporter who lives just north of Fairfax City. See the video below.

The reporter's family puts out food and treats for Popeye, a community cat that lives in the storm drains of their neighborhood. Almost every night, Popeye can be seen eating the treats and drinking the water left out for him on the windowsill of the reporter's home.

The camera also records visits by foxes, squirrels, birds, and the occasional raccoon. Some of those earlier visits have been posted on Patch. One time, the camera showed Popeye chasing off a fox that had gotten too close to his bowl.

Around 3:41 a.m. on Wednesday, the Ring camera caught a fox checking for treats. When he didn't find any, he slunk away. A short time later, something swoops down from the large bush on the right and lands below the windowsill, possibly on the concrete step that's out of frame. This is where Popeye's food dish is located.

A short time later, something white shoots across the top of the video and over the bush. Although the image is blurry, a freeze frame shows a rectangular shape with bands of white on the two long sides. These are the flaps that connect the front and back legs of a Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel, which it uses to soar from tree to tree.

This was the first time in 2024 that the family's Ring camera captured an image of a flying squirrel, which is a nocturnal animal. The squirrel was spotted twice in previous years, including a short stop on the family's windowsill.

Related: Flying Squirrel Captured On Video Visiting Fairfax Windowsill (December 2021)

The family has noticed one of Popeye's ears has been clipped, which indicates he has previously been trapped, neutered and then released. This is done because it's difficult to domesticate some feral cats. Rather than euthanizing them, the cats are caught and then altered, as a way to minimize the number of feral kittens born in the county. Fairfax County Animal Shelter has information on its website about community cats and its trap, neuter and release program.