Making a Splash

Every garden should have a birdbath – especially in this hot weather when birds, like everything else in the garden, need a drink, as well as somewhere to cool off. I have decided that no matter how busy I am, there is always time to stop and watch the birds taking a bath. The blackbirds are particularly enthusiastic, splashing the water everywhere, meaning that regular refills are needed during the day. The thrushes are equally keen, while the bluetits and great tits favour communal bathing and the pairs of blackcaps and bullfinches prefer to bathe a deux. In this dry weather a birdbath is more important than feeding the birds (although we do both), but it is important to refill it daily – even if the blackbirds haven’t emptied it – so that the water is fresh and there is no chance of spreading any avian diseases.

A young robin takes a quick dip while a juvenile blackbird waits for a go.