"Birdbaths for the Birdies"!
Birds need a local source of fresh water, especially in the hot weather months. I maintain three birdbaths in my garden and yard and clean them out every other day, keeping them full with fresh water. I pack them away in our garage during the cold weather months, all except the one on the tree stump.
I have placed two of them in my shade garden, and the other one is in front of what's left of an old tree that used to house little red squirrels. This tree had to be taken down after a bad storm a couple of years ago. Most of the tree was rotten and decayed and the storm took down all the big branches and most of the trunk. Little red squirrels always nested in the old tree and just this year have made a come back in our ravine. They look somewhere between a squirrel and a chipmunk and are always chattering their warning sounds.
The one in front of the tree trunk needs to be scrubbed out because of mold build up. I use a golf ball cleaner brush that my husband did not want. It is really effective.
The other two I spray with the jet setting on the hose and then refill.
The birdbath that is setting on a piece of tree stump is from my old house. The squirrels had broken the base and I saved the top. It is concrete and very heavy. I have to put flat rocks under it to get it to stay even on the tree stump. I really need to replace the tree stump as it is falling apart now. My brother-in-law's yard is a constant source of new ones as they have mature trees that are always in need of taking down due to storms through the years.
The smaller one is made of concrete and has a beautiful dragonfly embedded in the corner. My older daughter-in-law gave it to me for Christmas several years ago. It was purchased at a craft show at Stan Hywet Manor in Akron, Ohio at their Ohio Mart. It has a pointed base and can set deeply in the ground. I do believe the chipmunks and squirrel use it.
Until next time, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.artfire.com
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