Bath Time #homesfornature

A bit of a Homes For Nature blip this one.

Something simple in the garden can benefit wildlife so greatly. You know I have banged on about putting water out during this heatwave in this blip feed before now, but here is how a simple garden ornament can help.

Birds need water to drink of course, but equally important is water to bathe. They need to keep their feathers in tip top condition. Different birds adopt different methods to rid themselves of pests. One of my favourites is when blackbirds and other birds go "ant-ing". They will deliberately pick at an ants nest to stir them up, and then sit with their wings spread to allow the ants to "attack". The formic acid rids them of any pests lurking in their feathers. Keep an eye out for this behaviour in your back garden.

I took this photo of this Dunnock having a quick bath just before I left Butterwick for South Wales. We are back home again now. It's very hot in the house after a week of being shut up. Up early tomorrow, which is probably a blessing, as I may not have the best nights sleep.