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HAB911

(10,243 posts)
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 03:05 PM Saturday

Moving birdbath 3' makes quite a difference

I moved my birdbath 3' to have an angle to catch the full reflection in the water, and it paid off immediately with a Painted bunting. I'll now experiment with different color stones in the bottom that make a shallow support for them. This is dark slate, but I have some white marble somewhere to try.





BONUS BUNTING eating Firespike

35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Moving birdbath 3' makes quite a difference (Original Post) HAB911 Saturday OP
Wow, my dear HAB911! These are wonderful! So much color and detail! CaliforniaPeggy Saturday #1
Breathtakingly gorgeous! SheltieLover Saturday #2
Spectacular!! Walleye Saturday #3
Stunning. Great job. Thanks for sharing Raven123 Saturday #4
Nice! Thanks for sharing!! SWBTATTReg Saturday #5
My favorite! Lucky lucky you! QueerDuck Saturday #6
Hi. What region does a bunting live in? AKwannabe Saturday #7
From Cornell Lab - All About Birds erronis Saturday #8
What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous. Grumpy Old Guy Saturday #9
I know what you mean HAB911 Saturday #22
Your photos are amazing. Callalily Saturday #10
thank you! HAB911 Saturday #21
Gorgeous photos of a spectacular bird. Wow! Wish we had them in New England. Vinca Saturday #11
📌 🐦 Bookmark. TY, HAB911. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Saturday #12
Absolutely gorgeous TommieMommy Saturday #13
thanks, glad you enjoy them! HAB911 Saturday #20
Magnificent photos. TNNurse Saturday #14
Something a little special for you! HAB911 Saturday #17
Just gorgeous! liberalla Saturday #15
right now HAB911 Saturday #18
Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos FakeNoose Saturday #16
thank you! HAB911 Saturday #19
Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head! George McGovern Saturday #23
thanks george! HAB911 21 hrs ago #27
Wonderful! Thank you! Solly Mack Saturday #24
I have never seen this bird before..I'm sure if I had, it would have taken my breath away..just like your photos Deuxcents Saturday #25
thanks! HAB911 21 hrs ago #28
Thanks for posting MustLoveBeagles Yesterday #26
What they all said. Have some ice cream. twodogsbarking 18 hrs ago #29
That's amazing wendyb-NC 17 hrs ago #30
outstanding! mike_c 16 hrs ago #31
Beautiful shots! tazcat 15 hrs ago #32
AmAYYYYYYZZZING shots! nt Trueblue Texan 14 hrs ago #33
It's so colorful at first I thought it was AI. Kablooie 14 hrs ago #34
Wow, great photography! denvine 14 hrs ago #35

AKwannabe

(6,871 posts)
7. Hi. What region does a bunting live in?
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:33 PM
Saturday

First I’ve ever seen. So thank you. Very cool bird indeed. Rainbow 🌈

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,199 posts)
9. What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous.
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:54 PM
Saturday

Great shots!

We had to pull our bird feeder out because the rats were chowing down on the seed the birds were dropping.

HAB911

(10,243 posts)
22. I know what you mean
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:00 PM
Saturday

The birds do leave a mess, but the squirrels clean up behind them. The feeder is on a 5' Pvc pole with a cone that keeps them from accessing the feeder, so they patrol the ground all day long and there is no waste.

liberalla

(10,778 posts)
15. Just gorgeous!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:22 PM
Saturday

So, I'm curious... As the earth moves throughout the year (longer days, shorter days), the sunlight hits differently and shadows move....
Will you always be able to get the full reflection in the birdbath? Or will you need to move the birdbath again?

HAB911

(10,243 posts)
18. right now
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 06:55 PM
Saturday

the sun is very low and I only get direct light on the bath for a couple of hours and even then it is dappled. I will get much more direct light as the sun moves north. Moving the bath not only gave me the angle needed, but moved it more into what light I have. So the answer to your question is, no I will not have to move it again, it only gets better.

I shot at a high shutter speed to catch the water droplets and high aperture for the depth of field to capture the reflection, so the ISO was an astounding 12,800, which made the photos very noisy.

FakeNoose

(39,957 posts)
16. Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:48 PM
Saturday

It looks like that painted bunting was having some fun ...

George McGovern

(10,643 posts)
23. Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:09 PM
Saturday

And all in between and thereafter!

Deuxcents

(25,333 posts)
25. I have never seen this bird before..I'm sure if I had, it would have taken my breath away..just like your photos
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 11:24 PM
Saturday

Uniquely beautiful 🤩

wendyb-NC

(4,585 posts)
30. That's amazing
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 11:17 AM
17 hrs ago

Beautiful photos of the Painted bunting. Thanks for sharing them.

How lucky you are to have Painted bunting in your area, that frequent your bird bath. I'm sure they are around here in eastern NC, but I rarely see them in the garden outside.

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