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've got a couple of low bowls out, and caught our cat drinking out of one last night - at least I know it's been used!

🤣. Bless him. He didn’t realise he had to share. At least he’s getting hydrated..

I fill and top up two plant pot saucers, big ones on the patio so I can view from my perch (get it) in the kitchen. OMG it is so entertaining seeing the birds having a splashy bath and loving it. The big ones go to the left, the smaller ones to the right in the shade of the hedge. I am so loving it.

I found a plastic sweet tub in the back of the shed and filled it with water to put out last night as we do have foxes that roam around the front of the house.

They can be noisy little blighters but I don't think anyone else puts water out for them so I thought I would.

I'm sure they'll repay me by crapping on my door mat in the porch again. 😆

Well done - water is essential i hate to think how many little mammals and birds have died in this heatwave! I would just caution that a sweet tub may be a bit too deep for birds/hedgehogs to get out of if they get right in it. If you've nothing flatter, more saucer like, put a few stones in so there is an escape ramp!
You’ll also find bees and butterfly’s will sit on damp stones to have a drink.

We had a very poorly hedgehog at our water pots yesterday afternoon he was desperately thirsty and weak so we took him to the local rescue…I hope he recovers, poor thing, not a good sign when they're out in the daytime.

Great practical advice @user5683926547 and so thankful that the poorly hedgehog had you to do the right thing - fingers crossed it makes a full recovery.

thank you again to all the wonderful people on this thread that are helping wildlife get a drink in these heatwaves

Hedgehogs are really suffering because of the dry weather. When they are dehydrated they lose the ability to curl up, which leaves them very vulnerable to predators.
This pair visited our garden last night. They both has a very long drink of water and then scoffed some of the food that we left out for them.

Caught a snail on my water feature

Morning bump

Evening bump

I put water out for our cats , (which they ignore ) , I hadn't thought about water for wildlife but when I water my potted plants there is always water that spills so a wandering visitor might be helping itself to this ?

Many years ago , my guinea-pigs had a hidey box in their run. I moved the run to fresh grass "Oh I'd best move the hiding box as well" to find the cheeky rodents had SubLet it to a hedgehog while the run was lifted away !

I put it back , put some straw in the doorway and left it alone . (Plenty of slugs about for it to eat)

Please be careful about using full buckets of water for the birds, unless there's some kind of ladder for them to get out. I had a sparrow drown in a bucket of water and I still feel really bad about it.

Shallow saucers/trays of water also help frogs. They love to just sit in it and cool off. I know how they feel 🐸

Yes, there must be a slope and pebbles / large stone or two.

I’ll put something out for my frogs. Not seen many this year but saw a couple the other week.

Thanks everyone! It does make a difference.

I have put out a shallow tray of water and a 2litre bottle standing inside it with a hole punctured at the base to drip . It might waste a bit but most of it will evaporate .
I put old plate inside Upside down to make a stepping area
IF my physics serves me well (ha!) the bottole shouldn't drip too much if the puncture hole is below water level ?
Don't know if that will work (Equal and Opposite Force ) but easy enough to top up the bottle .

Lets see if there's any takers .

Evening bump

About 20 minutes ago, the pigeon pair that I feed regularly were both in the bird bath, one was laying in it, the other balancing on the edge. The starlings who had been in it previously were obviously most put out as there was no room for them to get in as they fluttered around in the hope the pigeons would bugger off and they could resume their morning shower. 😆

Afternoon bump

I've done the fresh water , I don't think there's been any interest . We do have sensor lights so if anything large is there , then the lights alert us.

We don't have gaps in the fence so no hedgehogs now (used to have when the fences were rubbish) but foxes can jump in via the garages .

Evening bump - weather forecast says no let up in the hot dry weather for the foreseeable

I've just bought another large planter saucer for the birds to bath and drink from. I now have two big ones, a fancy glazed expensive one and a much smaller saucer that is on ground level that I do see the birds drinking from and maybe any hedgehogs that might wander in under the gate.

I may have to start charging for the use, the birds are beginning to cost me a fortune. 😆

Our bird bath has never been so popular! DP is changing it twice a day, and putting bird seed down on the path. We have bumblebees loving the lavender and fig tree sap, which also get watered and sprayed in the early morning.

We have a bowl of water at the front gate for foxes, roaming cats and anything else overnight, with food scraps next to it.

Pleased to say the two rooftop gull fledglings in the neighbourhood are surviving the heatwave successfully. Clever parents.

Evening bump

enjoyed reading how the wildlife are enjoying the water @Myblueclematis and @TheAutumnCrow !😀

A pigeon was staring me out a few weeks ago while I was eating on the patio. I realised it was because the bird bath was empty. I got up, mid meal, to fill it. Pigeon flew off and judged me from the garden fence. I hope he bloody bathed in it after all that hoohar 🤣