Re: RE: [canberrabirds] bird baths

[Alberta Hayes <>]

Hi all,

We have a pool and the resident wattlebird uses it for splash bathing.  It is chlorine, although at the moment is also disgusting having not been used for years and looks like a swamp.  Regularly dunking ridiculous amounts of chlorine in there hasn't deterred the wattlebird.

The wattlebird is also the most aggressive I've come across and has a nest in the front yard. Tiny chicks just hatched but I'm unsure about how many as yet.

Alberta, Chapman.

On 15/09/2010 9:53 AM, "Geoffrey Dabb" <> wrote:

Obedient to Darwin’s edict, the fish in the murky uncleaned fish pond have bred into dark coloured invisibility in response to their more colourful relatives having been removed over the years by kookaburras and currawongs.  This pond is occasionally used for plunge bathing by migrating silvereyes, honeyeaters etc.  Small birds like scrub-wrens like to hunt over the dark surface through the bare branches of the low spreading Japanese magnolia.  I am sure they enjoy the mosquito hatch.  When the annual rise of the lily roots brings the muddy scunge to the surface, magpie larks remove nesting material from it.  Crimson Rosellas occasionally drink there, but this depends on the proximity of the staffie-cross and the pig-chasing dog, the world’s naughtiest dog.  Access by birds to 2 smaller well-vegetated pools is impeded by the net designed to stop the kookaburra getting the occasional summering Spotted Marsh Frog.  The shallow purpose-designed bird bath is useless and goes dry after 3 days of warm weather.  In hot weather the odd small bird might have a bit of a splash, but only, I have noticed, if there is any water in it.  The deeper bird facility in the front yard is more practical and in warmer weather is used by larger birds for bathing and drinking.   Older residents might remember the days when garden sprinklers were allowed.  THAT was what used to bring the birds around.   Perhaps it will be on again next summer.   

 

From: Jenny Rees [ On Behalf Of Jenny Rees
Sent: Wednesday, 15 September 2010 8:18 AM

To:

Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] bird baths

 

does anyone have a pool that the birds dip into?

We have a salt water pool and we have seen va...