Is that a sprinkler?
Brown-headed Honeyeaters enjoying a bath
Our bird baths are very popular with the local resident species, especially on hot days like we have been experiencing here in South Australia this record breaking summer. On the hot days there is a constant stream of birds drinking and bathing.
Some species, like the Brown-headed Honeyeaters shown in today’s series of photos, are no exception. They often come in groups of up to a dozen, sometimes more. When several of them get in and splash around in the cooling water, it looks for all the earth like someone has switched on a sprinkler. Water goes flying in all directions as the birds take on a whirr of activity. Haven’t they heard about conserving water?
And after the drenching bath they retire to a nearby branch to preen and get all those ragged feathers back in line again. No wonder we enjoy watching them so much!
Brown-headed Honeyeaters enjoying a bath
Brown-headed Honeyeater after enjoying a bath
HI Trevor Like you I love watching birds have a bath whether it is in a bird bath on the lawn or in a river, canal or at sea. The water certainly goes everywhere. Good to see them the preening. Give one time to really study them without them flying off in all directions. I cannot find, on your site where I can join so that I can receive more posts from you. Can you let me know please. I don’t think I have ever seen this bird in Australia (must look at my Aus. book) but I loved seeing the 2 birds in your previous post and I certainly have seen them.
We have a bird bath similar to the one shown and many birds use it. But the gang of noisy miners prefers to dunk in the dog’s water bowl, which is about twice as deep. We always know they have been there even if we don’t see them, because the water level drops considerably and there is a wet spatter on the nearby wall. Last week I saw even more noisy miners there, and some of them were smaller. Now they are teaching the new generation to swim.
When he’s around the dog just stands and looks at them. He prefers to drink from a bowl we have put on the floor in the laundry.