For da birds

I read a post on another site that struck home with me.

The writer implored everyone to take some care for their neighbourhood birds.
To simply be sure there was some seed, suet and especially if you could, some water.

Over the years I have provided seed and suet year round, but water only in warm weather, not really thinking about what birds do in winter. Yes, I've heard of heated birdbaths and such, but never really thought it as necessary, more like an indulgence, for yuppies maybe?

Today I was out the back salting and sanding the icy goat path that runs between my back door and my parking/garage area and the little birds (Black Capped Chickadees - I looked it up.) who came round all spring, summer and fall were seemingly calling to me, flitting back and forth between the feeder, suet and the area on the deck rail where I have always kept a water dish of sorts for them. So I went inside and found a smallish, shallow dish, filled it with water and set it inside the Sun planter on the fence, but to no avail. They ignored it and flitted about between the lilac bush and the feeders, looking down from the lilac branches to the water corner. Chirping at me all along. I knew what they wanted. Same as when the crows visit, or meet me at the bus, or show up when I am grilling. Their due.

In fact, when I brought a shovel through the house to clean some snow off the deck, and then noticed the snow covered dish with 8 inches or so of snow piled atop, and all the BIRDIE FOOTPRINTS there, as if to scream out at me...WHERE IS OUR WATER, we know it's supposed to be in this corner. It hit home. *Lightbulb* went on. DOH! *facepalm*

So I grabbed a drainage dish from one of the plants I had brought inside last fall and killed, cleaned it out, and filled it up with water, then set it out on the table along with their old dish.
(which had cracked so badly it's useless to hold water anymore :( )

I swear there was a bird there a minute ago...ah well. Too slow.