We have a bush type garden in suburbia. There are many vantage points, those with roots in the form of tall trees and shrubs and in the form of arches over the 3 bird baths at the rear of our house and one out the front.
All baths are used regularly, by not only the usual metropolitan immigrants, but Wattle Birds, Silver Eyes, New Holland Honeyeaters, juvenile Magpies and yesterday there were two Rainbow Lorrikeets having a bath.
It brings me great joy to know that they feel safe and can relax. If the New Holland Honeyeaters make a noise that I have learned means something is amiss, I go out and pick up the hose with the jet spray and I am armed. Usually it is just a tree top argument.
We have a birdbath outside my husband's office window and he gets great enjoyment watching the noisy miners splash around. Theya re the main user of it. Our pool is also a big attraction for the birds. they love to swoop down have a splash and carry on their way. today I saw a spangled drongo swoop in. It helps that it is towered over by big palms with juicy red berries that the birds love.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi Birdie,
What a delightful name for a bird ! what on earth is a spangled drongo ?
Birdsafe
That's just what I thought when I first read the name. Here is a photo I took this morning
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/3131728805_0d70245e00.jpg?v=0
[img]
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Oops wrong code
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi Birdie
I guess their spangled bits are either very small or well hidden. It is lovely to see them so happy and safe and sitting in that beautiful tree.
birdsafe
Hi Birdsafe
I think the spangles are just too far away to see, they are usually blue sparklybits on the front of the bird which are blue/black. And the birds make the most raspy raucous noise, especially when the group of them get going together! They are a lovely glossy black and have a fish shaped tail.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi! Birdsafe. Your post has inspired Wife and I to get some mores bird baths around the place. Well your post and the fact that late yesterday in a rush hour for our small 40cm bird bath, we had 7 Noisy Miners in the bath or hanging from the chains suspending it. 10mins later there were 5~6 Rainbow Loris. We refilled the bath three times in two hours. What a privlidge to be witness to the joy and excitement these birds get from a splash about. Not a photo is sight though I need to park a camera in the shed for just such occasions.
VJ
Hi VJ, If you want to know how many Rainbow Lorrikeets can bathe at the same time in a largish bird bath, it is four. Yesterday and today we have had the entire flock using the two bird baths in our backyard. We also had l large magpie, 2 murray magpies and New Holland Honeyeaters, Silver Eyes and of course blackbirds and pigeons.
The magpies, blackbirds & pigeons stood under the bird bath and had a shower while the Rainbow Lorrikeets splashed above. It was such a glorious sight.
Birdsafe
Hi Birdsafe, sounds like it might be a bit warmish around your parts right now. What a treasure your permenant water supply must be to locals (and maybe not so local).
I'm working on a cistern and float design that will replenish the water in a bath automatically, mostly for when we travel.
When we had the dry spell here in Brisbane the value of the permenant water supply was really evident and I always feel a little guilty when I discover the bath is dry.
Working on baths two and three per yor example.
Cheers VernJ
VJ
Hi Vern
I am extremely interested in your cistern and float design. I would really appreciate a detailed design via email when you get it sorted.
I am good with organic things plants and people but not with mechanical type objects. My husband would try though and with the next door neighbour's help hopefully we can build one.
Birdsafe
Sorry Vern, I forgot to comment on our weather, 5 days straight over 40 degrees and in the 30's over night. Both the birds and I have had enough thank you,
Birdsafe
Hi Birdsafe and Vern
Not my area of expertise, but I do know one can buy little "floats" they sell in rural supplies places for use in horse troughs.
You clamp it on the side of the horse trough, and connect the tap hose to its input. When the water level drops, it opens, letting water run. Then it closes, when it the float rises to the set height.
Plastic, about 6 inches long, 3 inches wide, 4 inches deep.
About $30 from memory.
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Hi! Denis and Hi! again Birdsafe. Denis your are spot about the floats for horse troughs... and that's where I started from ...some questions arise however re:
* isolating the tank supply from the bird bath (microbes and swimmy things) and
* minimizing the risk of the tank running empty if something goes awry while we are out of town.
So at the very least, we need:
* an "air gap" between the supply and the bath
and
* a stop-loss strategy, so we only ever deliver ~ 40 Ltrs per day.
It all gets so complicated, no matter how hard I say "keep it simple stupid", but I will prevail.
Birdsafe I'll keep you posted on the design and the outcome
Cheers!
VJ
Hi Vern
I knew it wouldn't be simple, but thought I would mention the horse trough things, just in case...
Best of luck with it.
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Hi Vern and Denis,
I wish the majority of Australians felt as strongly about wildlife as you both do and in fact as everyone who frequents Birds in backyard does. It would be a perfect world.
Vern I await your final plans. The Rainbow Lorrikeets and magpies are here in force again today and are getting used to me moving around. They must have realised that with me close by, they have never been safer in their entire lives.
Birdsafe
Hi Birdsafe and Denis I mentioned the Bird bath Cistern above so here goes. This is the outcome.
The challenge
[pre]to maintain water levels in our bird bath
to maintain an air gap between the birdbath water and the tank supply to avoid cross contamination.
(under Govt. regulation back flow into the mains supply must not occur if the mains pressure fails, so either a “back flow stop valve” or an air gap must be maintained)
VJ
Well two out of three images here is the third instruction:
Hope these help Birdsafe.
Cheers
VJ
In this current hot weather, I have been watering my back garden each afternoon around 5pm. The past 3 days I have been joined by a scaly breasted rosella, who loves to get under the spray of the hose as he sits on the branches of our flowering gum tree. He has come quite close to me each time, less than a metre away, and happily lets me take his photo. What a thrill to have a wild bird so close and friendly.
Sorry, he's a Scaly Breasted Lorikeet, not rosella. :0p
that is sooooooo cute
Brad