Jacuzzi Sparrow (1 Viewer)

Them birds are beginning to take things a bit too cushy ...I'm quite used to seeing my flock of Tree Sparrows dust bathing in a sand patch out front or making a right royal splash in the bird bath out back, but now they seem to be expecting a bit of luxury too.

Some mornings back, I looked out into the garden and decided to turn on the fountain in one of the ponds ...not long after, what did I see? Fluttering in the top of the fountain, almost 'sitting' on the water jet, were the sparrows! Taking it in turns, they'd flit out from the apple tree nearby, ride the top of the fountain, then fly back up to the tree to preen and dry off!

Do I have pampered sparrows or has anybody else out there seen similar?

Pampered, Jos, pampered.

I was watching one of the wood pigeons the other day, trying its best to take a bath in a very small birdbath. It couldn't spread it's wings, although it was doing its upmost to succeed. In the end, it just sat there for about 10 minutes, and made do with dunking its head in the water instead.

Jos Stratford said:

Them birds are beginning to take things a bit too cushy ...I'm quite used to seeing my flock of Tree Sparrows dust bathing in a sand patch out front or making a right royal splash in the bird bath out back, but now they seem to be expecting a bit of luxury too.

Some mornings back, I looked out into the garden and decided to turn on the fountain in one of the ponds ...not long after, what did I see? Fluttering in the top of the fountain, almost 'sitting' on the water jet, were the sparrows! Taking it in turns, they'd flit out from the apple tree nearby, ride the top of the fountain, then fly back up to the tree to preen and dry off!

Do I have pampered sparrows or has anybody else out there seen similar?

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I think you are spoiling them, what next heated water! But don't you just love em. bert.

Maybe Jos should also install "piped muzak" and coloured water with a lighting show for the sparrows too...

helenol said:

Maybe Jos should also install "piped muzak" and coloured water with a lighting show for the sparrows too...

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Now that is being pamperd, |8)|

Spoiled rotten sparrows, Jos! LOL! What a great image you paint.

Bird bathing habits are endlessly fascinating to me, from wintering American robins who fluff up and literally "park" in the ice-encrusted pond for minutes at a time, unmoving, presumably just soaking up water into their belly and primary feathers (or getting used to the freezing cold water?) before they start splashing; to a hummingbird one year who hummed down and flattened itself, belly down and wings outspread, on a large round rock where there was a slow, gentle drip and let the water drip on it for about 60 seconds or so, then flew off to preen; but the most fun to watch was one of the smaller birds (sorry, can't remember exact sp -- either a nuthatch or a flycatcher -- that part of my bird journal hasn't been digitally transcribed yet) who would literally cannonball into the water and fly straight up and out again. Repeatedly. Doves and the big band-tailed pigeons leave an oil slick on the pond when they're done bathing, requiring immediate flushing with a high-pressure hose.

We refill our four bird baths three or four times a day. We have about 80 house sparrows, 20 goldfinches, 7 or 8 greenfinches, various tits plus the pigeons queing up, it seems, for a bath. It's lovely to see 8 or 9 birds all having a splash together and others trying to muscle in. Charming

bert said:

I think you are spoiling them, what next heated water! But don't you just love em. bert.

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Er, don't laugh, but I have been considering that!!! Forecast is for our first tip below freezing by the weekend!

Jos Stratford said:

Er, don't laugh, but I have been considering that!!! Forecast is for our first tip below freezing by the weekend!

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Jos i wont laugh, honest. some weather you got over there!! Still very mild here, wet maybe and somtimes strong winds. will you let us know how you get on, you will have em queueing down your street, once the word get's out there's hot water about. |8)|
bert.