If you enjoy watching a robin splash about in a birdbath and want to help our feathered friends to a cool drink during these hot summer and fall days, you don't have to spend a fortune on fancy, high-priced garden store models.
Keep and eye open for the bases at garage and estate sales, even thrift stores, then get creative with the bowl portion of your birdbath.
Keep in mind, it's good to offer differing depths of water in the bowls for various sizes of birds. At my house, the robins like something deep and they can empty it in a day with all their vigorous splashing. While the timid chickadees and goldfinches prefer something shallow.
The kitchen is one of my favorite places to find birdbath bowls. Some good choices are pie plates, casserole dishes, and serving bowls. The saucers for underneath terra-cotta pots is another great idea. I've even used a up-turned light fixture.
You can get creative with the base, too. I've used an old stand for a vintage ash tray (garage sale), a large table leg (salvaged), and tree stumps.
Hope this kick starts your creative juices, the birds will thank you. And you'll receive hours of enjoyment watching them.
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And don't forget, birds need water year round. I had a rain barrel filled to the top and partially frozen over. I watched as a Robin enlarged a hole and proceed to take a bath in the icy water.
You are so fortunate to watch Goldfinches bathe. Where I am, I get just a fleeting glimpse of them as they fly by to your neck of the woods.
Hey likekinds, you're so right. I'm in search of the perfect heater for one of my birdbaths. Would love to have seen that robin in the icy water. Yes, I love the goldfinches. They have the sweetest little song.
Beautiful ideas, and so supportive of our winged friends. I live in a second floor apt, and the neighbor, below, doesn't appreciate it when things drip from my balcony!
Well thank you VBartlett. Now I can't stop thinking about how to make you a birdbath that won't annoy your underneath neighbor. What about...if you have a hanging terra cotta saucer with a slightly larger one beneath it. Both hanging from chain or cord through drilled holes (they make special drill bits for that). The bottom saucer would be only about 5-6 in. below the smaller one and would act as a drip pan or overflow. That's the gist of it anyway. I bet you can figure a way to make this work. Let me know. And maybe you can enter the idea in a ThriftyFun contest.
Under my deck bird bath I have placed a piece of vinyl (old tablecloth) and then placed some potted plants below..... that way the birds can splash all they want...
Great idea, oldfrogg! Love the potted plants underneath.
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