21 Comments
User's avatar
DD.'s avatar

Thank you Diane from the cold Canadian north. -21 today but still had the squirrel, Magpies and Nuthatch pay a visit ! Delightful. The vegetable suet and sunflower chips are very popular. Enjoy your articles so much.

Penny J Leisch's avatar

Gorgeous pictures and great information. I plan to pass it around. Thank you.

Diane Porter's avatar

And thank you, Penny! I'm very pleased to hear that.

Angie Dawn's avatar

Lovely advice and photos :-)

A Walk With Ruth's avatar

Thank you for sharing this info and gorgeous photos of birds enjoying the bath you made them.

Lucy's avatar

Love the pictures and the advice on water in winter for the birds! I am sure they would thank you if they could! Thank you!

Holly Starley's avatar

Great tips, Diane. Thank you.

Marie Burdett's avatar

Ohh these pictures are just precious!!

Bettspugs's avatar

I provide water all seasons as in Farfield there aren't many natural water sources.I use a tin feed pan elevated on bricks, with a brick inside so birds can perch, and refresh water regularly. In winter I use an electric float which requires a utility cord to the house-last year I sadly tripped over it which caused me some problems. Not yet connected this year...

Elizabeth's avatar

Thank you, for sending out this information, Diane.

I was blessed to get a Koi Pond installed in my backyard in September.

It has a waterfall. I’ve been delighted to see birds and squirrels drinking from it this week! The running water doesn’t freeze.

It stays clean, so I don’t have to worry about whether my bird bath stays clean.

Diane Porter's avatar

That sounds like the deluxe set up there. Congratulations! I'm sure you have very happy birds

Gloria Foster's avatar

Wow, those bluebirds! What a great shot!

Gloria Foster's avatar

Good points Diane. I got my heated birdbath at Orscheln's I think. Not too expensive and it has served me and my birds for five years now I think. I keep it unplugged in the summer. Since my electricity source is on our east-facing porch, that's where it is. Its up on the railing, not far from trees in the yard, but not near enough to bushes and trees for cats to hide in. As you say, it's a constant source of enjoyment. Thanks for another great, timely article.

Diane Porter's avatar

I unplug mine in the summer too

Pam White's avatar

As a less expensive alternate, you can use a heated pet water bowl with rocks or something in it for the birds to stand on.

Diane Porter's avatar

That can work really well, especially with rocks in the bottom to bring the bottom of the swimming pool up the right place. Cost a lot less than a dedicated birdbath

Steve Overby's avatar

I have a heated bird bath, but it doesn't turn on and off on a thermostat. I wish it did. Either it's on or off, so I put it on a timer to turn on at six in the morning and off at six in the evening. Mr. Bluejay was getting a drink the other day.

Diane Porter's avatar

I'm glad you got that timer worked out. There's a lot of little tricks to this Business of providing water to birds in winter, and that's one of them

Larry Stone's avatar

love your bluebird flock!