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HAB911

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

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

AKwannabe

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

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

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,198 posts)
9. What a beautiful bird. I'm jealous.
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 04:54 PM
Yesterday

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
Yesterday

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

(10,777 posts)
15. Just gorgeous!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 05:22 PM
Yesterday

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
Yesterday

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
Yesterday

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

George McGovern

(10,641 posts)
23. Fabulous HAB911. Really like your first and fourth frames -- dry-head to wet-head!
Sat Dec 20, 2025, 07:09 PM
Yesterday

And all in between and thereafter!

Deuxcents

(25,326 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
22 hrs ago

Uniquely beautiful 🤩

wendyb-NC

(4,585 posts)
30. That's amazing
Sun Dec 21, 2025, 11:17 AM
10 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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