The Bigg Bird Forum

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

This year I decided to move my wildlife pond into my secret garden. In it's place I have now fitted a series of bird baths fed by a cast iron pump.

Bird bath
Poster: Nobby, viewed 156 Time(s)

The pump stands over 4ft tall and empties into a leaking bucket that then cascades down into a bird bath. This in turn feeds two other bird baths of different depths. Each bird bath overflows over a layer of pebbles and then back down into the sump below that houses the electric pump.

The bird seem to love it, I have a couple of Jays that sit under the cascade from the bucket and use it as a shower.

I have uploaded a short clip to YouTube showing a pair of Black Caps bathing so you can see and hear it in action.
http://youtu.be/TiyJVgYplaQ

Strixaluco · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 5464 Location: Mayford, Sy

What an excellent idea - well done! Smile

minijoan · Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 297 Location: Northampton

Hi Nobby,

What a lovely idea. I only have a very small ground level bird bath and I fill it at least three times a day. After seeing your wonderful water garden I must get my thinking cap on and see what I can come up with for my garden.

Happy birthwatching.

Joan Laughing

Strixaluco · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 5464 Location: Mayford, Sy

We have a pond with a little "waterfall", which the birds love. Here is a photo talen 9 years ago, when it was very new - now everything is rather overgrown and the rocks are covered by a thick layer of moss! The water bubbles up in the top "pool" overflows into the next layers, then returns to the pond

Garen pond
Poster: Strixaluco, viewed 99 Time(s)

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

The birds seem to prefer running water to bath in. Maybe they think it's cleaner or perhaps it washes away parasites?

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

I ran iCatcher in time-lapse mode on my Bird bath for most of the day Monday and was amazed at how many birds visited.

I must admit I had not realised how important putting out water for birds was until I played the video back.

Here are a couple of stills and a link to the time-lapse video captured yesterday.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Poster: Nobby, viewed 56 Time(s)

Jay
Poster: Nobby, viewed 56 Time(s)

Time-lapse video. 1 frame every 5 seconds. http://youtu.be/5viEeUSNanw

minijoan · Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 297 Location: Northampton

Wow - lucky you, what brilliant phot's. In the past I have spend hours sitting in hides waiting for Great Spotted Woodpeckers and other birds to appear and you have them visiting your waterfall in your secret garden, how lucky is that?
Joan

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

Yes. I am very lucky here I am surrounded by the woods and chalk downlands of the North Downs so I get many woodland birds especially Blue and great tits and the odd wood pecker.

starseven · Joined: 16 Sep 2011 Posts: 33 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne

very jealous of those photos, especially with the jay - I've never been lucky enough to see one, don't think they're too common here in the North East. Love Nobby's water feature and garden, looks really peaceful.

Nobby · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Kenley Surrey UK

Thanks starseven the Jays are very shy birds I only really see them from the house. As soon as they see me in the garden the are off.

You can see the Jay bathing in the time-lapse video at 1 min 20 sec in. I was quite surprised at how wet it gets. Must be a bit risky if there are predators around?

If you have not seen the video already it is here.

http://youtu.be/5viEeUSNanw