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HAB911

(10,242 posts)
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 03:05 PM 18 hrs ago

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

28 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 18 hrs ago OP
Wow, my dear HAB911! These are wonderful! So much color and detail! CaliforniaPeggy 18 hrs ago #1
Breathtakingly gorgeous! SheltieLover 18 hrs ago #2
Spectacular!! Walleye 17 hrs ago #3
Stunning. Great job. Thanks for sharing Raven123 17 hrs ago #4
Nice! Thanks for sharing!! SWBTATTReg 17 hrs ago #5
My favorite! Lucky lucky you! QueerDuck 17 hrs ago #6
Hi. What region does a bunting live in? AKwannabe 17 hrs ago #7
From Cornell Lab - All About Birds erronis 17 hrs ago #8
What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous. Grumpy Old Guy 16 hrs ago #9
I know what you mean HAB911 14 hrs ago #22
Your photos are amazing. Callalily 16 hrs ago #10
thank you! HAB911 14 hrs ago #21
Gorgeous photos of a spectacular bird. Wow! Wish we had them in New England. Vinca 16 hrs ago #11
📌 🐦 Bookmark. TY, HAB911. ❤️ littlemissmartypants 16 hrs ago #12
Absolutely gorgeous TommieMommy 16 hrs ago #13
thanks, glad you enjoy them! HAB911 14 hrs ago #20
Magnificent photos. TNNurse 16 hrs ago #14
Something a little special for you! HAB911 15 hrs ago #17
Just gorgeous! liberalla 16 hrs ago #15
right now HAB911 14 hrs ago #18
Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos FakeNoose 15 hrs ago #16
thank you! HAB911 14 hrs ago #19
Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head! George McGovern 14 hrs ago #23
thanks george! HAB911 2 hrs ago #27
Wonderful! Thank you! Solly Mack 12 hrs ago #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 10 hrs ago #25
thanks! HAB911 2 hrs ago #28
Thanks for posting MustLoveBeagles 9 hrs ago #26

AKwannabe

(6,870 posts)
7. Hi. What region does a bunting live in?
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:33 PM
17 hrs ago

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

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,170 posts)
9. What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous.
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:54 PM
16 hrs ago

Great shots!

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

HAB911

(10,242 posts)
22. I know what you mean
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:00 PM
14 hrs ago

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

(10,773 posts)
15. Just gorgeous!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:22 PM
16 hrs ago

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

(10,242 posts)
18. right now
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 06:55 PM
14 hrs ago

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

(39,953 posts)
16. Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:48 PM
15 hrs ago

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

George McGovern

(10,629 posts)
23. Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:09 PM
14 hrs ago

And all in between and thereafter!

Deuxcents

(25,314 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
10 hrs ago

Uniquely beautiful 🤩

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