Providing clean water for wildlife is one of the simple joys in life. birdsandbees23 had an excellent diary recently about incorporating fresh water features in the garden for wildlife. I’ve had birdbaths of varying kinds for years in my SE Michigan backyard. I’ve learned that, like humans, some birds prefer baths and some prefer showers. In this Dawn Chorus, I’d like to share another way of providing feathered friends with needed water for drinking and grooming.
I’ve had a birdbath fountain that always has lots of business. Some birds prefer a shallow saucer bath. In both, I’ve placed flat rocks to provide different water levels. Last fall, I noticed migrating warblers taking showers in the wet leaves of a big leaf hydrangea. I noticed the same behavior this spring after a rain. So I started spraying the hydrangea a couple times a day, and more often if the weather was warm and we hadn’t had recent rain. I was richly rewarded in seeing many more warbler species than I do in a typical spring migration. Not only that, but they were up close and personal.
First, the setting
I live in just outside Detroit, with a typical sized lot in an older suburb. Over the 23 years Mr. C and I have lived here, we have transformed the blank green sod into a perennial garden with a focus on birds and pollinators. We are fortunate to have mature oak trees throughout our city and the neighboring ones. They support the insect life that draws the warblers.
Backyard view from the patio on May 12, 2023. The Warbling Bush is just left of center of the photo, and was starting to leaf out. A smaller hydrangea is to its right. Almost all of the photos are set in the big hydrangea, with a couple in the smaller one. As they grow, both hydrangeas provide protection for songbirds. (The funny white netting on the left is to keep oak catkins out of our small pond.) Bigger.
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The Warbling Bush from the other side, photo taken May 21, 2023. There is a raised saucer birdbath just to the right.
Close up of the Warbling Bush leaves. At full size, they can more than hide a warbler.
Early visitors are easier to see
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Easier to see you say? Ha! This is typical of warblers. Most are well camouflaged, even in their breeding finery, like this Black-throated Green Warbler. Closer look (just right of center).
Another Black-throated Green. Sometimes they pose nicely on an outer branch.
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Northern Parula (upper left) and Cape May Warbler (just below the middle on the right). A little closer.
Black-throated Green Warbler soaking up some of the water pooled in the leaves.
Tennessee Warblers were frequent visitors this year, and sang all day for weeks. This one was in the same leaves as the Black-throated Green above, also soaking up the moisture.
Another Tennessee Warbler. The birds would often start near the top of the bush and work their way down, fluttering through the wet leaves.
Multiple species together was always a thrill. Female Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler in front of a Magnolia Warbler.
A Short Shower Sequence
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These were sequential frames. Yellow-rumped female planning her trajectory.
A little under-wing splash on her right.
Reversing direction and diving head first. Bigger.
This got me to thinking that maybe there was more than showering taking place. Is she grabbing a quick sip of water? Or maybe a quick snack?
An American Redstart family
American Redstarts were around for weeks too. Here’s mom, wings a-flutter, as she moves through the wet leaves.
An immature male looks on.
American Redstart mature male. The mature males lagged behind the females and immatures.
Some birds still prefer a bath
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Male Black-throated Blue Warbler in the shallow saucer birdbath directly under the Warbling Bush. The Black-throats used the Bush for preening, often taking multiple dips in the bath.
Black-throated Blue using the safety of the Warbling Bush to shake off and preen. Bigger.
Immature male American Redstart and mature Northern Parula in the shallow bath. The Parula intimidated the Redstart, hopping increasingly closer until he had the bath to himself. Closer.
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Other Warbling Bush visitors, because they are so beautiful
Magnolia Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler — a first backyard sighting.
Bay-breasted Warbler.
Another Northern Parula, just because.
A favorite among favorites and my warbler spark bird — Blackburnian Warbler. Bigger.
Now it’s your turn. The floor is open for your weekly birdie news!
