Reminder to leave out fresh water for garden wildlife in hot weather

[OneBusyFinch]

With more hot weather forecast, a bowl or two of water in the garden for wildlife could be a lifesaver.

Shallow dish for hedgehogs (they can’t manage deep water)

Add some stones for bees to climb out if they fall in

Too up morning and evening — it evaporates fast

Bit of shade keeps it cooler for longer

Takes two minutes, makes a massive difference.

Big thank you if you’re already leaving out fresh water!

I'm equal ops on the water, it's there, whatever wants to can drink it. I'd rather no rats, and luckily haven't seen any but if they do, then hey ho.

Thank you! @beeble347 @TamzinGrey @JustAMiddleAgedDirtBagBaby @HelpMeGetThrough @Unpaidworkmakestheeconomytick @Myblueclematis @CurbsideProphet @Iliketulips @AddictedToBooks

I have a large shallow plant pot stand on wheels that I keep topped up with water. It sits close to a large rose bush which the sparrows, robins and blue/coal etc. tits love because they have shelter close by.

The starlings often have a squabbling swing by and in this heat the jackdaws and magpies have been visiting it too. (I have bird feeders about three metres away from it which the world. his wife and babies of the avian community visit daily).

Best of all, I have them positioned so I can watch the activity through the patio doors from MY armchair in the living room - a wonderful time wasting observation point!

Thank you! @BasilParsley

Evening bump - it’s just so hot - imagine being a creature without access to water. Please leave out fresh water this evening if you haven’t already. Thank you!

I in the back for my dogs anyway and now do in the front also since my neighbours ring door bell picked up a deer on our driveway last week! We have lots of wildlife around here; I always thought the deer stayed in the fields around us but clearly not!

OK moral dilemma time - just been and sat out in the back garden hoping for some cool breeze but I hoped in vain.

However, I did find that two snails have climbed up the outside of my low level bird bath and are basking in the water. These are probably the bastards that decimated my baby cucumber plants and had a go at the beans - but I managed to stop them in their tracks there.

So, ladies, do I let them stay there basking in my impromptu pond or do I pick them up and throw them over the fence into the park at the bottom of the garden?

Ah what a great idea about the shallow plant pot saucers, I have a bunch of large ones in my attic from a lemon tree growing attempt 🫠
Will be up there on the Morrow.

Currently using empty chicken fillet trays 😂

Time for a flying lesson! Over the fence they gooooo!

Noooooooo! Let them stay!

Always put extra water out in hot weather and make sure there's a bowl in front all year round. Love the wildlife and put food out for fox and hedgehogs etc.

Put some small dishes out the front under the bushes with water. We have a hedgehog who comes under the gates. Got 2 small ponds and the birds love to drink out of it.

When we got our beach hut, we inherited a nest of sparrows at the top just under the outside part of the roof. They obviously have babies and the cheeping is almost deafening sometimes. The parent birds are on the go all the time collecting food.

There is a tap further along that we all use for water and there is a big puddle of water there under the tap so the birds that are down the beach, crows, seagulls and of course, the sparrows are obviously using the puddle to drink and bath in.

We get so many people who hear the birds as they walk by, stop and look where they are flying in and out, we've become a bit of a sideshow. 😆

Thank you! @SpringIsSprung1 @vodkaredbullgirl

Plenty of bird activity at “the orange bucket” this morning. They must have told all their mates that there’s fresh water at my place! 🤣

We make a mud wallow for the swallows/house martins/swifts, have done for donkeys years. We have huge numbers of them flying overhead and it’s fascinating to watch them gathered around the puddle, they are like little fighter planes swooping about. Love their chatter, even though it starts very early in the morning…
We had a family of yellow wagtails there yesterday - first time I have ever seen one!
There’s always a bird of some variety there every time I look out, we also get hares and hedgehogs. Full time job keeping it full in this weather though!

Not if you have a cat!

We have cats but they can't get out the front so I leave water there - in an old cat bowl. Haven't seen anyone use it yet, but I keep topping it up in case Mr Crow over the road gets thirsty.

I have 3 bowls on the back, in fact, I put a brand new one out yesterday (Dunelm bird bath, half price). I'll put one in the front when I get home.

Large roller paint tray with a few stones. That's the way forward. The little ledge means hedgehogs can shuffle in safely.

I've been feeling so bad for the birds I've seen around town this week too. Quite a few visually panting. I've been using a plastic drip tray and dedicated bottle of water to offer relief when I can. One crow was particularly grateful!

Thank you! @HelpMeGetThrough @user5683926547 @DundeeNewcastle @Squirrelsnut @Pistacheeo @SnugglyJumpersMakeItBetter

Evening bump - just about to refill water bowls in front and back gardens

Last night I was watching the bird bath and there were around six starlings in the bath and on the fence above it were about 12 others.

It's like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds sometimes. 😆

I've given the birds some mealworms in water for them to eat, starling's were 1st then the pigeon.