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HAB911

(10,250 posts)
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 03:05 PM Dec 20

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 Dec 20 OP
Wow, my dear HAB911! These are wonderful! So much color and detail! CaliforniaPeggy Dec 20 #1
Breathtakingly gorgeous! SheltieLover Dec 20 #2
Spectacular!! Walleye Dec 20 #3
Stunning. Great job. Thanks for sharing Raven123 Dec 20 #4
Nice! Thanks for sharing!! SWBTATTReg Dec 20 #5
My favorite! Lucky lucky you! QueerDuck Dec 20 #6
Hi. What region does a bunting live in? AKwannabe Dec 20 #7
From Cornell Lab - All About Birds erronis Dec 20 #8
What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous. Grumpy Old Guy Dec 20 #9
I know what you mean HAB911 Dec 20 #22
Your photos are amazing. Callalily Dec 20 #10
thank you! HAB911 Dec 20 #21
Gorgeous photos of a spectacular bird. Wow! Wish we had them in New England. Vinca Dec 20 #11
📌 🐦 Bookmark. TY, HAB911. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Dec 20 #12
Absolutely gorgeous TommieMommy Dec 20 #13
thanks, glad you enjoy them! HAB911 Dec 20 #20
Magnificent photos. TNNurse Dec 20 #14
Something a little special for you! HAB911 Dec 20 #17
Just gorgeous! liberalla Dec 20 #15
right now HAB911 Dec 20 #18
Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos FakeNoose Dec 20 #16
thank you! HAB911 Dec 20 #19
Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head! George McGovern Dec 20 #23
thanks george! HAB911 Sunday #27
Wonderful! Thank you! Solly Mack Dec 20 #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 Dec 20 #25
thanks! HAB911 Sunday #28
Thanks for posting MustLoveBeagles Sunday #26
What they all said. Have some ice cream. twodogsbarking Sunday #29
That's amazing wendyb-NC Sunday #30
outstanding! mike_c Sunday #31
Beautiful shots! tazcat Sunday #32
AmAYYYYYYZZZING shots! nt Trueblue Texan Sunday #33
It's so colorful at first I thought it was AI. Kablooie Sunday #34
Wow, great photography! denvine Sunday #35

AKwannabe

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

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

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,210 posts)
9. What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous.
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:54 PM
Dec 20

Great shots!

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

HAB911

(10,250 posts)
22. I know what you mean
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:00 PM
Dec 20

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

(10,787 posts)
15. Just gorgeous!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:22 PM
Dec 20

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

(10,250 posts)
18. right now
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 06:55 PM
Dec 20

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

(40,030 posts)
16. Nice! Thanks for sharing these great photos
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:48 PM
Dec 20

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

George McGovern

(10,738 posts)
23. Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:09 PM
Dec 20

And all in between and thereafter!

Deuxcents

(25,390 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
Dec 20

Uniquely beautiful 🤩

wendyb-NC

(4,595 posts)
30. That's amazing
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 11:17 AM
Sunday

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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