August 4, 2009

Water feature for the birds

I call this water feature my bird puddle. My friend George says it looks more like a broken sprinkler head. But I love it.

It is a slight depression in the gravel lined with pond liner, with a small pump a foot below grade and three large stepping stones loosely laid on top. Easy. 

The real beauty is the birds love it. Hummers sit on the top step to bathe, larger birds like finches, tanagers and warblers wade in from the shore, and I get to sit in the kitchen with a pair of binocs and watch the whole thing. 

No chemicals, by the way. I run the pump 24/7 to keep the water clean and discourage mosquitoes.

Photographed by Mitch Maher. 

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MySanAntonio —Praying for rain takes on new meaning when for these town folk, it actually worked.