An interesting time today at a couple of our shallow bird bowls on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA.
First, a Common Bronzewing Pigeon called by to quench its thirst. In nearly 33 years we've seldom had visits from this species. Over the last 2 weeks I've had 6 sightings , including of a pair yesterday. So this is potentially special news. Hopefully, the pair are here to stay & will be joined by others of their ilk.
Second, a female Flame Robin followed the Common Bronzewing. Last year we had a visit from this species, the first or second for many years after we used to have them visit every winter. Hopefully, sort of like Arnold Schwartenegger, they're baaack.
Incidentally, we're finding that the 4 shallow bird bowls we have installed are attracting a lot of small birds, not to mention almost regular visits from Western Grey Kangaroos. Yellow Thornbills, Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Brown-headed, White-plumed & New Holland Honeyeaters, Red-browed Finches, Striated Pardalotes, Willie Wagtails, are among those attracted lately.
Must be nice to see a good range of birds woko. Your hard work and of course provision of water seems to be paying of. Hope your good self and Ms woko are doing well in tough times?
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Sounds wonderful, Woko... wish I was in your backyard. Keep safe
Thanks, Dale & sue. We're doing really well & I hope you good folk are, too.
It's great having several bird baths of varying depths outside our main viewing window. There's never a dull moment! We have several seed-eating species which, I think, are availing themselves of a good supply of crumb weed seeds. Crumb weed is a native summer herb which has spread nicely around our house advantaged, I think, by a good rain in early February followed by quite dry, mild conditions. Unfortunately, 2 of the seed-eating species, European Gold Finch & House Sparrow, are ferals. Numbers of the other species, Red-browed Finch, are building nicely.
I have put some bird baths in the backyard. But I haven't seen any birds come close to it. Maybe they're not attractive enough. I made a bubbling bird bath, because I thought the birds would be attracted to the moving water. The steps are simple: place the submersible pump on the bottom of a tub or birdbath and attach the vinyl hose to the pump outlet wire. Stackable rock drilling is perhaps the most challenging part of the process. Next, thread the vinyl tubes through the stackable rocks. This way, the water will appear to be coming out of a rock, not from a pipe. I think I should add ice around the bubbling area to make the bird bath water look more natural.
Hi Earsome. I'm not sure that bubbles & ice would attract birds in Australia. Have you tried turning off the bubbles to see what affect that might have?
The main reason we have a variety of birds in & near our bird baths, especially in hot weather, is because we have planted & encouraged the regeneration of lots of indigenous native plant species & created a diversity of strata from native herbs & ground covers through small, medium & tall shrubs to trees. In fact, we've tried to replicate what used to grow here naturally. As well, the bird baths are of varying depths from shallow to deep.