“I’ve got a present for you.” Our longtime friends, formerly Pennsylvania residents, but now fellow Snowbirds like us, who have retired to Maine but winter near us in Florida where we get to see them regularly, had just arrived for a visit at our Pennsylvania farm. He presented us with a beautiful granite birdbath (Photo 1, top of page) which he had made himself with granite stones found on his Maine property.
It was a work of art which he created by using a diamond-tipped sawblade to cut grooves in the granite and then a motorized oscillating hammer/chisel to chip out the granite pieces between the cut grooves. When the bowl was cut to his satisfaction, he then used a grindstone to smooth out the bottom.
The final product is magnificent, natural looking, and a tremendous addition to our bird feeding station. And the birds took to it immediately. It is very satisfying to watch birds dip into the water (Photo 2), scoop up a bill full of water and then throw their heads back to let the water run down their throats. (Photo 3) The present ranks high on our list of the best we have ever received.
Observing the birds use the birdbath drives home the importance of water in the lives of birds. Obviously, some species live near water and earn their living chasing and catching fish that live in the water. Anhingas (Photo 4) catch fish under water by spearing them and it can be amusing sometimes to watch them get the fish stuck on their bills and have difficulty getting the fish unstuck. Cormorants on the other hand chase after fish under water and catch them with their seriated bills which enable them to grab hold of the fish and keep them from slipping away.
Other species of birds such as Least Bitterns (Photo 5) and Green Herons catch their fish by waiting along the edges of water until a hapless fish swims by and then catching the fish from their perch. Most herons use either the “catch fish in the water” or “wait by the shoreline” technique to provide their daily meals.
Reddish Egrets use the canopy feeding technique by spreading their wings wide over the shallow water to create shade to draw fish near to them for easier catching. Of course, some species such as Great Blue Herons, are omnivorous and will catch fish, snakes or frogs for lunch (Photo 6) and then may just leave the water to hunt for mice or voles in a nearby field or meadow.
Any number of species such as gallinules, snipe, and many duck species will forage in the water for grasses or other organisms. Limpkin and Snail Kites will hunt for Apple Snails and many species such as shorebirds, Avocets and Black-necked Stilts and many sandpipers will forage for all kinds of organisms in the shallow waters or along the water’s edge.
Finally, several species will dive from the sky to catch their fish and take them to a favored perch to devour. Ospreys (Photo 7), some tern species and notably kingfishers all fall into this category.
But all other species that don’t rely on water directly for their daily diet do indeed need water. Even the casual observer at one time or another has seen birds in a public parking lot drinking or bathing in a small water puddle, or even in the middle of a busy street or road.
Years ago, we had a ceramic birdbath in our garden in which we installed a small fountain. That was a very popular bird destination. When it broke, for some unknown reason we never got around to replacing it. Our new granite birdbath is not likely to break and now we are looking for a solar-operated bird bubbler to install in it to make it even more attractive.
Sometimes it takes something like an unexpected but exciting gift to shock us out of our lethargy. Either that or a quick swift kick in the pants might work. Thank heaven for really good friends.
