Water For The Garden Birds

Birds are really suffering in this freezing cold spell that we are currently experiencing. We can help them to keep warm and therefore survive these plummeting temperatures by providing fresh water for them every day.

Having a plentiful supply of fresh, clean water in a bird bath is crucial for our garden birds as they not only need to drink water they also need to have a bath at least twice a day - once in the early morning and once just before dusk.

This bathing ritual works in two ways. Firstly, bathing keeps their feathers in a pristine, clean condition and makes the birds waterproof. Secondly, as the birds bathe they are busily fluffing up all of their feathers as much as they can. This traps air between the layers and traps in the heat. What a great and ingenious way to insulate yourself against the cold weather. It's just like us wearing layers of clothes to keep the heat in.

Never allow the water in your bird bath to become dirty as this will totally defeat the object of helping the birds to keep warm. A neighbour of ours is always lighting garden fires and the result is that the water for the birds is full of ash.

Just look at how polluted this water is with the ash created from just a garden fire in a neighbours garden!

It's always a good idea to pop a few stones in the middle of a bird bath as this allows the birds to perch on them whilst they bathe.

Please change any polluted water immediately with clean, fresh water.

It's also important to keep your bird bath free from ice at all times. I have found the best and most effective way of doing this is to empty the water out of the bird bath at night and, if you can, place in a shed or garage. Making sure that the birds have finished bathing of course! Then in the morning just replace and refill your bird bath with warm water. Easy peasy!

I know this may sound stupid but here goes...never use boiling water to defrost ice covered water and never fill the bird bath with boiling water as it freezes quicker than cold or warm water. Sounds silly but it's a scientific fact!

Oliver and I used to spend ages first thing on a freezing morning knocking seven bells out of the ice on our bird baths with a hammer. It took ages and we got wet through as the ice would trickle down our arms, melting as it went! Our numb hands would be a mixture of bright red and mottled blue shades. Not a pleasant sight. The birds would be lining up, forming a nice queue, and waiting patiently for us to finish. I have to admit that this isn't the most effective of methods! Trial and error I suppose.

I also used to place a lighted tea light in an old metal dustbin then pop an upturned dustbin lid on top and fill with water. The tea light kept the temperature just above freezing keeping the water ice free and slightly warm. The birds loved it! I must start to do that again. Now where is that old dustbin...

Another good tip is to pop a plastic ball into the bird bath with the water and as the breeze whirls around so the ball moves, disturbing the water and therefore not allowing it to freeze. It doesn't seem to frighten the birds away either.

At least once every year we are called out to a garden that suddenly, and for no apparent reason to the household, has dead birds of varying species scattered around. I dread these call outs. It's such a horrible sight. Usually, it transpires that that someone has used either anti freeze or de-icer in the water to stop it from freezing!!! Of course, the birds drink and bathe in the water and are poisoned as a result. The result is a painful death.

Once the reason for this catastrophe is explained the well intentioned people involved are genuinely horrified at what they have done. It never ceases to amaze me what people will do without thinking. Remember everything you do will have consequence -good or bad!

So please do not use any chemicals, or salt, to keep water ice free as it will harm, and usually prove fatal to, any bird or animal using the water for drinking or bathing. Just use clean, fresh water and some elbow grease!

And as always please make sure your bird bath is as cat proof as possible. You could position it in the middle of a lawn away from any windowsills or walls that a cat could use to pounce from. Another advantage of this is that the bird will see the hunting cat and fly away without being harmed. Think 'cat' when positioning your bird bath and you won't go far wrong.

It's amazing watching all the birds waiting in line for their allotted bath time. The old saying 'there is safety in numbers' certainly applies when it comes to birds! They keep a watchful eye out for predators and will warn their friends by squawking loudly should danger present.

Watch out for my next blog and please visit www.westyorkshireanimalsinneed.org.uk for more animal and bird information. You can also follow WYAIN on our Facebook page: - West Yorkshire Animals In Need - Official. Don't forget to click 'Like' at the top of the page!

Bye for now,

Love Tommi