What fun it is for us to enjoy morning coffee while being entertained by this communal bathing scene. It’s a great time of year for birding! Breeding season is over and the once territorial birds call a truce as they drink and bathe together. Bluebirds, sparrows, warblers, finches, chickadees, cardinals, and more… all are splashing together in the bird bath this fall. Birds like clean water and they find our birdbath to their liking. Each morning the water is emptied and the birdbath refilled for our feathered friends.
Why do birds bathe? No one knows the exact answer. I was taught it helped to rid themselves of parasites, but experts say it could be that AND it could be that clean feathers help them fly better. Following the bath, birds will land nearby to perform a ritualistic preen spreading protective oils over the feathers.
Many of the birds we see will soon be joining others for the trip to warmer climes. We’re happy to send them off with full stomachs and clean feathers!
You have a lovely spa set up for them, and I’m sure they are appreciative. 🙂 Meant to tell you – your header shot is lovely.
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I’ve decided I might like to change the header more. We’ll see if I can keep that up.
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That is a beautiful view to enjoy with your morning coffee. 😊
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It’s a great time of year to watch for migrating birds. They all appreciate refueling and a dip or sip in clean bath water.
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I especially adore watching adults introduce their young to bathing. Much splashing about. Following such a hot and steamy Virginia summer, the birds celebrate! Diane
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We’ve moved from zone 5 to zone 6a. We’ve had our few hot days but cool enough here that we don’t turn on the air conditioner. We must be becoming real New Englanders.
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