The female Wilson’s warbler takes her turn at the bird bath!

This is another look at the birds that visited the yard and took baths or at least came by for a refreshing drink of cool, clean water.

Once again, I have been able to observe the behavior of our feathered friends at the bath. Some wait patiently for a turn, but others chase their competitors off with fury. Some species will come any time and all day periodically to use the bath, while others will only come when no other species are around. These include the western tanager, gray catbird, black-headed grosbeak, and the Swainson’s thrush.

It has been almost a full-time job keeping the baths and there are four of them clean and cool. Three to four times a day is the norm for cleaning and refilling. It has been worth the effort. Our small songbirds need and appreciate a water source and especially a clean, cool one.

In August, the numbers of birds in the yard begins to decline as some begin to move on to their fall and winter climes. However, the number of species has not declined and in fact, it increases some days.

Now that climate change is making its presence known in a very big way, I am wondering how it will affect our bird populations. It seems like we have perfect weather, while other places are burning with the heat and some of their water sources are drying up. I wonder whether we will see some species staying here longer or not migrating at all. If there is sufficient food and water, it is a possibility.

Water is clearly enjoyed by every species that comes to this yard. It is a pleasure to contribute to making their survival more likely. Happy birding.