Water Feature: Upgrade

 Water features are the easiest way to attract birds, so LeadBirder determined to up our water feature from the one he had engineered earlier that spring.  For his birthday he asked for two things: money for a telescope, and money for a solar-powered fountain.

Water is important for birds, but it's also important to keep the water moving so that it doesn't turn into a huge mosquito breeding site.  That's not relaxing for anyone!  A solar powered fountain head is nice because it doesn't require any kind of electrical lines to keep the water moving.

 The only trick is that the fountain spout will only run while the panels are exposed to sunlight.  Even one panel in the shade will stop it.  We had to move the fountain around a couple different times to find the best spot. 

Now that it is winter he has taken the fountain spout in until next season, but we still enjoy the visiting birds who take a dip whenever it's not frozen over!

 Yellow-Rumped Warbler

 male and female blue birds

  house sparrows

and a group of squabbling robins 

It's quite fun to watch and already has inspired further dreams of "bigger and better" water feature things.