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Carolina Wren enjoying the Heated Dog Bowl |
For food I fill several different feeders with different types of
food. I love song birds so I make sure to put out a steady supply of
black oiled sunflower seeds. I also put out nyjer seed for the little
finches. I love to attract woodpeckers so I offer both suet cakes and
suet pellets.
For water I have a birdbath which the birds love both for drinks and
bathing. This winter has been particularly cold and the bird bath
water is always frozen so I searched for a good way to provide fresh
water. I know there are heated birdbaths, but they were a little out
of the cost range I was considering. I read on one of my bird groups
that a heated dog bowl works great for birds and is inexpensive so I decided
to try that.
Heated Dog Bowl
After looking at several sites I settled on this dog bowl.
This bowl had several features which I find works well. At one quart
it is a good size for my deck. It is thermostatically controlled so
that it only operates when it is necessary. The bowl has an anti-tip
construction and the cord is covered with a heavy duty protector. It
comes in several colors and I chose the bright blue because I was hoping to
attract some blue birds and I thought that would look great in the
photographs.
I have had the bowl for 2 months now and it has worked great. It has
really been tested the last two weeks when our temperatures have been below
freezing the entire time and we've had wind chills in the -10 area.
The bowl has worked perfect and provided water for the birds in the chilling
weather. When it has snowed the snow just melts into the bowl. I
am very pleased with my purchase and I think my birds are too!
Photographs of Birds at the Water Bowl
Here are some photographs of birds taken at the new water bowl. First
of all it did attract the Eastern Blue Birds I was hoping to get. I
love the way their coloring matches with the bowl.
Here are some of the other birds enjoying the water. The Robin looks
pleased to have some fresh water and the Cardinal and House Finch also enjoy
the water.
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How clever. I had no idea there was anything like a heated dog bowl. And how perfectly it works as a water bowel for winter birds.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of all your backyard bird friends, Mary Beth.
Truly really awesome! I can't count how many times I have worried about my birds and hoping they were able to find water during ice and snow storms. Well I was reading, I had a "duh" moment. I was imaging you going out in the snow to fill the water bowls for the birds and then you said the snow melts in them! Well, of course it does!!! This is such a great idea. I appreciate you sharing your discovery. I need a heated dog bowl (or two)!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to give the birds what they need! I would never have thought of a heated dog dish to accomplish the same task that a heated bird bath would do, especially if it's more cost effective. The birds certainly won't care if it's a dog dish, so long as they have the water they need in these cold winter months! What great find and I will share this with many of my birdwatching friends. Love the Bluebirds and how happy they look! Great job Mary Beth on all counts!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this! Thank you for this review. During my last few camping trips I had really wished I could put water out for the birds. But I did not have a suitable container (and someone had relieved me of my bird bath). This is a great idea. It will be a perfect liner for a new bird bath! Adding this on my list of things to buy for the house.
ReplyDeleteWow!! what a great idea, it seems to work very well and it certainly looks like the birds love it. As always your photos are the best. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic idea, original and practical. I have to pass this along to my friend's hubby - they're bird lovers, they'll love this
ReplyDeleteWe had snow and ice and biting winds recently here and we were out everyday breaking ice off the birdbaths and refilling them. Of course a short while later they had frozen up again. I was thinking then I could really do with a heated container to help the birds. This heated dog bowl sounds like a really great solution! Your birds look like they are enjoying it and I love your beautiful photographs :)
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