An Over Worked Bird Bath!

This summer the bird bath has been working overtime!! The heat has been a major inconvenience for man and beast of all types. During the day, I have noticed lots of cardinals and birds stopping by our backyard for a drink and a swim. I even have a couple of squirrels that stay close to a small bird bath I have by a large oak tree. I keep them filled and cleaned with fresh cool water, or at least as cool of water I can in the hundred degree heat.

But the real show is not going on during the day, but right at dusk and into the darkness.

Every evening, we have anywhere from five to six of these adorable owls dropping by for a drink and a cool bath. These little owls are so speedy and quiet, it is almost like they are just appearing from thin air into the bird baths. One night, I was watering what is left of my flowers, and passed by this particular bird bath, there was a swooping of air that caught my shoulder and I looked around and an owl landed right on the perch of the bath and just looked at me. It happened so quickly, I did not have time to think to be frightened.

I quickly went to get my camera, and sat in a lawn chair and started snapping away. There were five that night that enjoyed the fresh water as we sat and watched. Funny, they really are not too scared of us at all. We sat about 8 feet from the bird bath at best, and just watched. We have really enjoyed them this summer....oh, and in case I forgot to mention, we live slap dab in the middle of a big ole city, not in the country where one might expect to see such wonders......so the fact that these owls come to our yard for water is a wonderful occurrence to say the least. Sometimes, it almost seems like a scene from Harry Potter, right in our own back yard.......and that is a wonderful thing on a hot summer evening.