Hi Tweets,

Jim Rosso writes:

>Inspired by the account from Dennis about the warblers flocking to the
>bubbling fountain
(snip)

In Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver BC, there's a small creek running into
a display pond. Upstream, near where it issues fom the city water supply
source, there are several flat rocks at water's edge, a small backwater pool
and some branches very close to the ground. I noted that many passerines
including migrant warblers used this pool. As, like Jim, I've never seen a
warbler use a conventional birdbath, I'd think that perhaps they require
running or dripping water at or near ground level with convenient branches
nearby from which to suss out the safety of such a location (of course, it
virtually takes a surrounding minefield to keep out all the cats of your
good neighbors, but if you can reasonably cat-proof such a set-up, you can
help the birds have a good chance of surviving this leg of their journey.

Similarly, a constant-drip feed to two or three 24" flat earthenware dishes
about 1"-2" deep set up so the overflow from the higher ones drips into the
lower, with lowest at or just above ground-level, offers a range of choice
as well as the sound of dripping water (which is known to attract birds), so
that the little ones don't have to wait until a bigger bird is done. Some of
the small birds are too insecure to dive in when they don't know how deep
the water is, so putting a series of flat rocks, some just under the water's
surface in the bath can reassure them.

>My wife
>suggested another variable. Get a speaker and an hour long CD with the
>sound of running water. Would that be as effective?

Yes, but it's not nice to fool Mother Nature if you can provide the real
thing. I've heard that bird-surveyors in desert areas can attract many birds
by playing a tape of dripping water. Good for science, I guess, but no
bird-surveyor has yet recorded the depth of cruel disillusionment on the
part of the creatures living in that extreme environment.

>It would be cleaner. I have to take some time tonight to clean out my
>indoor fountain. The Song Sparrows were not discrete during their baths, if
>you get my drift.

House-trained Song Sparrows--now, there's a thought. I bet they got kicked
out of all the swimming pools for peeing in 'em. Bad kids.

Michael Price
Vancouver BC Canada
mprice at mindlink.net