Birdbath.

We don't have a bird table nor do we put water out for the birds but all the same that seems like a good idea. After all the birds don't drink during the night so it makes sense to put out fresh water in the morning. :-))

Not sure how long it would remain ice free though with temps at/below freezing for the greater part of the day!

It's good to make things easy Carol. The birds probably appreciate the fresh water aswell :o)

Hi clarice I also worry about the birds and their water.I have to go out and break the ice on the little wildlife pond I have because my stream freezes up so the pump has to be switched off

good idea carol, will try it, i did put out fresh this morning but soon froze again

Duh, I never thought of doing it that way Clarice, thanks for that.........

Thats a great idea Clarice as the birds allways like a drink .My son did the bird food and water for me today as the snow is really deep.

Wrap up warm while doing it though!!! Good idea.

Good idea Clarice. Much less work for you that way. I think our birds must eat snow when it's really cold. I can't see any other way they would get moisture. When its really in a deep freeze, even hot water freezes within a few minutes so a bird bath is not an option.

that sounds a good idea, keep yourself well wrapped up.

I leave my little water feature pumping water into it's bowl during the day and then switch it off when it's dark , A cat has been attacking the birds in my garden , at least I think it must be a cat , twice recently there have been piles of feathers and blood on the snow , poor birds :o(

Seems like a good plan Clarice ... the birds don't need a drink at night. Plus fresh water every morning ... 1st class hospitality I'd say! :o)

If anyone has an old fish tank with heater, it would make a nice ice-free drink for the birds.
I have a submersable fish-tank heater somewhere, I'll see what I can do in the morning.

It is a good idea and saves time and effort - but in these temperatures It can freeze in the day too - but fresh water is better :)

Good idea Clarice.I am going to try it too,although with temperatures at -9 this morning,I may wait till it warms up a bit..no point yet,as it would be frozen before I got back in the house. !

That's what happened to mine Bloomer - shame birds can't have a little skate :D

Wouldn't that be a good photo Paul?..maybe they do,but wait for us to go indoors..Lol.

hell of a youtube video too :D:D

Bird bath tip:
At least once per month, empty the water and scrub the bath with steel wool to remove algae.
We neglected some of our baths this summer and a few birds got infected with an "eye fungus" that spreads in dirty baths and feeders..
Feeders should be emptied and soaked for an hour in a bucket of bleach once per month to prevent the spread of the fungus.
I had taken a photo of one of the infected House Finches, showed it to our local "Bird Guru", and he knew exactly what had happened.
http://waco.wbu.com/
Hope this helps,
~N2O~

Hi Carol, it's often the case that the simplest ideas are the best and this is simply the best idea I've seen. Brilliant - my usually frozen fingers thank you ! :-)

Good idea Carol, my birdbath is frozen solid so I have been filling a plastic container with water each mornig and putting it in the birdbath, it is easy to empty the frozen water out of it each morning and refill again;0)

Hi Carol, my birdbath as not frozen up alday today, with empty it last night, and even if it does freeze up in day time its so easy to thaw out as its not rock solid, infact i'm just off now to go and empty mine now as its just going dark, catch you later.

good idea......... i do mine every morning now....

I always have 2 water bowls out for the birds (no idea why!) After struggling to get the ice out of both I realised the simplest idea was to put just one out with water in and when it freezes, replace with the other one containing fresh water and so on ......

Another good idea Lily .....

Clarice...
You do a great job looking after your garden birds :o)

Thanks TT, try my best.

Lily, such a sensible idea! thanks

I always put out food and especially water for the birds in winter. They need the water as much as the food. If they eat snow it lowers their body temperature and they could freeze to death in this terrible weather.