Monday, July 18, 2011

The Big Splash

The Gray Catbirds continue to entertain me this summer. Now that it has become so infernally hot the water feature is a great draw. You will have to pardon my photos as I took them through the patio doors. The water feature is just across the patio from the doors and the birds don't like it if I even open the door let alone sit on the patio to photograph them. Catbirds are very wary.
Ahh yes this water seems about right.
A good splash and she feels like she can go on sitting. I do believe they have a second nest going. I haven't found it as yet. 
A good splash makes her feel better. 
Why do I think it is "her" since you can't look at them and tell the difference?  "He" is not too far away. Ever watchful. Escorting her to and from a certain direction where I think the new nest is situated. 
He even watches as she has a bite of blackberry jelly before they depart. He doesn't dine while she is out and about. He is ever vigilant, his job is to protect her.
Of course the Catbirds aren't the only ones partaking in the cooling bath. The Robins take turns making the big splash. After a couple of them bathe I have to go out and add water. After all you can't have the water too deep because you don't want your birds to accidently drown.

Robins are the Masters of the bath. They don't like to share while bathing. All others await their finish before diving in. This male House Sparrow is patiently awaiting the Robin's permission to go ahead.
The House Finches are way back on the pecking order. They have to await some time before they can move in for a cooling bath.
 
Or they can do as some of the more shy birds, such as the Cardinals, and use a different bird bath. 
Are your bird baths quite busy in the bird bath this time of year?



34 comments:

  1. I like that vigilant catbird husband, taking care of his bathing beauty and protecting her!

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  2. Oh what fun to have cardinals and
    cat Birds. We have lots of bird baths around but right now we have RAIN and more rain. so strange this time of year so not much bathing going on but the Crows are using the bird baths to wash their bread when they pick it up. Makes a big mess too but its fun to see them. Is that a cat bird in the header photo?

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  3. Hi Lisa,


    Such a sweet and entertaining post :)

    With all the rain here, the birds to not need the water feature at the moment, they are splashing around in puddles ha!

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  4. Wow, other birds bathe besides robins? :) Not here. But I sure do enjoy the robins in my fountain--taht is, when the heat index isn't 119. Oy.

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  5. One of my favourite sights is watching birds take baths. At my parents old home they had a shallow man made stream in front of a window. A great favourite with the birds and my favourite viewing spot!

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  6. Cris, yes this is a Gray Catbird in the header photo.

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  7. You know, I don't even think I've taken the time watch the birds in the bath this year. I think the pictures came out great!

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  8. Oh yes...we also have to refill the bird baths a couple of times a day...
    love seeing your Cat Bird.....double nesting is wonderful.
    I have water in most of the flower beds.
    Some for drinking and some for bathing....I also do a few tiny water spots for the butterflies.
    Delightful. Hope you are staying cool.
    Sherry

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  9. My bird baths are used more for my aesthetics than anything else. Your post is making me think I should think about the birds first. Great post.

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  10. I had a catbird all winter long here...I had not seen one before and I I.D.'d it! There was only one and I always wondered if it was a male or female. I read that it could also be a juvenile as they all look quite the same! My birdbath is vacant now except for an occasional blue jay. Winter is our bird playground here. Glad you are having fun with birds...I sure do miss them...especially the catbird and the painted buntings.

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  11. Wonderful photos here. Chivalry is not dead. Phew!

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  12. Lisa, yes they are very busy right now. I love watching the birds visit the bath! The little birds do stop by, but it's usually the big guys like the Jays, Cardinals and Robins. Bird couples take such good care of one another. gail PS Wish you were going to Seattle for Fling.

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  13. What wonderful photos of the birds. I aspire to managing this someday.

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  14. Your photos give a whole new meaning to the phrase "sitting in the catbird seat", Lisa:) I've been trying to keep the birdbaths replenished in this heat. I'm also looking out for other critters--I bought Sophie her own little swimming pool today; she'll probably think it's just a giant water bowl:)

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  15. Well Lisa, I just learned alot more about birds. How much fun. What wonderful pictures and story. You have your own personal Big Screen HDTV disguised as a patio door. I want a bird bath now. I had a baby raccoon on a tree limb outside my kitchen window this morning. xoxo Terah

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  16. Great images of your birds here, Lisa. It’s good to have more than one bathing spot isn’t it?

    Mm… not seeing so much bathing here just now… guessing the rain showers are helping out there. Perhaps I need to move back my bird bath to its usual location to see more visitors :-)

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  17. Lisa girl you caught some great bath-time pictures here : ) We love watching the birds drink and take baths too and YES ! .. in this heat and dry spell they love our birdbath for sure .. what would are gardens be like with no birds ? They add such a wonderful element of life and sound don't they ?
    Joy : )

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  18. I don't have a bird bath for fear of mosquitos! It would be nice to give the birds a drink and bath, I'll have to think how that might be possible. what is a catbird? Christina

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  19. Hi Lisa,

    Are we in parallel universes? It's ridiculous how addicted DH & I have become to watching the birds in the birdbath fountain outside the breakfast window... but we are visited by the related Mockingbirds instead of catbirds.

    We also have cardinals & a few robins but blue jays are the loudmouths around here!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  20. I don't have a bird but I remember drawing a picture of a girl with her bird.

    Indeed, it's a big splash, Lisa...if you could video for us the next time you see them splash!

    He..He..

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  21. Love the bird photos, doors and all. When they are skittish you hae to take what you can get, right? I have several birdbaths and saucers all around and I am putting fresh water in them every day. 104 in Austin today, but here in Seattle it was a beautiful 79. Animals have had plenty of water here!

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  22. It's nice to meet these beauties through your blog.

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  23. Hi, Lisa!
    Popped over to say hello. It's been too long. I've been a bad blog visitor during this busy summer. But, I think about you all the time. There is this nutty yellow bird, with black markings, dive bombing me and my horse whenever we trot past the swamp in the meadow. I'm sure if you were here you'd know who it is. So... come for a visit! :)) We'll go bird watching the easy way. On horses!

    Hope all is well. ~ kate.

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  24. Bathtime fun is so hillarious to witness! Here I watch from my dining room window as the Robins make a big splash..I took several good photos!Happy summertime Lisa!Time is just a flying at this end..I'm keeping busy outdoors!

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  25. We have a pair of catbirds that must be nesting somewhere close by, I think. They have such perky personalities, don't they? I love them.
    What fun to see them bathing in your birdbath. I've only seen sparrows bathing in ours.
    A few weeks ago we had robin babies which needed protection from one of the barn cats. I rescued one and found 2 more on the lawn. They must've just fledged. I hope mommy and daddy robin were able to keep them all safe. The catbird pair was there as well, squawking at the cat along with the robin parents.
    It was quite a drama :)
    The birds are so much fun to watch, aren't they?

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  26. Love the pics. So nice for the male to watch out for the female.

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  27. I fear for our birds it's been so hot. I love your pictures of the robins and the catbirds. We have both along with the house finches, and cardinals. Love them all. The fountains are always busy around here. Happy Summer.~~Dee

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  28. Such a great post Lisa!
    Since putting in a pond, it's been a constant entertainment spot in our garden :-)
    So nice to see the birds enjoying themselves with the heat we've been experiencing!

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  29. The birds sure do love a nice bath, and who can blame them? I really enjoyed seeing the catbirds, I've never seen one here in MI.

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  30. We had catbirds at my other house, but I've never seen one here. Our birdbath is a busy spot this summer. The poor birds are out there on the deck with their beaks open...I try to refresh the water everyday.
    Balisha

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  31. Nice to take time and just watch the birds, thank you for such a relaxing post ;-)

    Love your birdbath. Makes me think "if you build it- they will come"

    :-)

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