When it comes to having a good wash and scrub up, my garden is currently the place to be. Take a look at this:
If you can make it out, it is a Blue Tit getting itself in a right lather. See how it tosses its head about violently in order to create as much splash as possible. Oh, how it rekindles happy memories of bath-time as a kid.
The bedraggled result was this:
It's a wonder their feathers ever get back into order.
And it's not just the Blue Tits; the Robins have been having a good long soak too:
...as have the Blackbirds
Perhaps you can work out what the 'spa of choice' in these parts. Yes, this year's deluxe model is an old, upturned dustbin lid, propped up on a few bricks, and with some pebbles and a perching rock inside so the bathers don't slip about.
It may be cheap but it fulfils all the golden rules of birdbaths: wide, shallow, slightly elevated and good visibility.
It's clearly so good that I've started using it myself; photos of that next week...(not!).
Wonderful ideas.... I have a two foot mass of dry plant root that I want to use for the bird bath.
Fantastic pictures thanks for sharing. I have recently made a little area and have enjoyed watching the blackbirds bath, but clearly I need to up-grade to the deluxe version! Great idea! Thanks