Last Wednesday, with the day free to me and nothing to do, I decided that I would do something for the garden birds. Because, after all, they have brought me so much joy!
My interest in gardening really is driven by passion for nature and wildlife, and I'm afraid that I'm not too bothered if the results aren't aesthetically pleasing. That comes second to whether or not my efforts benefit the wildlife out there. In my book, anyway.
And, I don't think anyone can claim my birdbath is prettier than some of the ornamental ones available in the shops. But I suspect the birds don't mind.
Putting my birdbath together
All I needed to buy was a round plant pot tray. So, I took myself off to a local odds and ends shop - the sort of place that seems to sell a little bit of whatever - and I bought my plant pot plate. It cost me all of a few quid - I can't remember the exact price, but it was less than £3, but more than £2.
At home, I took the plant pot plate into the garden. Before filling it with water, I took myself down to the shed, where I knew I would find some loose bricks - leftover from when work had had to be done on the flat some months back. I took three bricks, and put them beside each other, on their sides, forming a base onto which I could put my bath.
Into the bottom of the tray I put some small stones, that I collected from around the garden, and a piece of broken paving slab. This gives the tray a bit more weight, which means it's less likely to blow across the garden when it's stormy, and it also means that the birds will have better footing. The broken piece of slab also provides a slightly more elevated surface, for those nervous birds that want to check their surroundings.
At this point, after making sure that the tray was stable, I filled the bath from a watering can.
Since putting the birdbath together last week, I have washed it out a couple of times. I squirt some washing up liquid into the water and then use my hands to rub around the tray. After that, I rinse using the watering can, empty the tray, and rinse again. I keep rinsing until the water is no longer soapy.
When the bath has been out for a little longer, I will have to get myself a brush and give it a more thorough scrubbing, I should imagine. Especially in summer, if any algae appears.
Since putting my bath together, I have to admit that I haven't seen it being used yet. But, I am not discouraged. Often with these sorts of things it can be as simple as moving the bath to another spot in the garden. At the moment, it is in a rather open spot, and it could be the birds are hesitant to use the bath when cover is too far away to flit into, should they feel the need.
This bath is easy to move though, the heaviest part of the thing being the bricks.
If you do want to make it look a little prettier, placing some potted wildflowers around it ought to do the trick, which will also attract pollinators as well as birds.
I was inspired to build the birdbath by this page on the RSPB website. I am not affiliated with the RSPB in any official or professional capacity but, of all the conservation charities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is the one to which I refer most often when I am looking for ideas on how I can do a little bit more for nature. I urge you to take a little look at their website and help in any way you can.
I hope you enjoyed the read, and if you are going to make your own birdbath, let me know in the comments! I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me pottering around in the garden! Thank you to all readers and supporters - you keep me going!
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