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The Bird Beach

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Water for the birds of the neighborhood is not a critical need at the moment since we have had above normal rain. Nevertheless, dry (very dry) periods keep reappearing and so water sources need to be maintained.
We found a good solution a year ago, when we had to invent a means to keep water supplied while we were away for a month.  We placed a stock tank under the eave to catch any rainwater that might fall---and then----placed a board on a slant into the water.  We knew that the water level at times would be far below the rim, and birds would not be able to stand on the rim and drink.  The purpose of the board was to provide a gradual "beach" down and into the water when it was low.

For some time, they could not figure it out.  But then quite suddenly they got used to the board beach and used it to drink from the lowered water level---and---even to bathe!

Interesting that the cardinals figured it out first, then the painted buntings joined in on the fun.

Here's a photo through the dining room window of a female painted bunting flapping around pretty well on the beach.

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