Since Chris Klapheke and I are heading down to Roma, Texas for one of my workshops, I thought it would be good time to post a few tips on using water drips to attract birds. In Roma, we put a water feature in front of every blind. Due to the dry climate and the sound of the water dripping, we get lots of different drinkers and bathers.
We dig out a water feature in the ground and line it with plastic to hold water. As most of the blinds are sunken in Roma, the water drip on the ground is still at eye level. You can also elevate a water drip as shown below.
Below is my set-up that I have been using during the Spring and Fall migration on the Upper Texas Coast. I have an elevated pond made out of a bucket with a 2 foot X 2 foot piece of plywood on top. I place a few rocks around the edges of the plywood and lay a piece of pond liner on top. The final touch is running a small drip hose to it so there is always fresh running water. The sound attracts the birds and lets them know the water is fresh. To fine tune the dripping you can purchase a small drip hose from a department store and attach it to your garden hose. Some models even come with a small spigot so that the drip rate and volume can be adjusted.
When there is no running water nearby, I use a five gallon jug that has an adjustable flow lever. A camping jug will last two days with a steady drip. I support the jug with a photographer's backdrop frame. A milk jug with a pin hole will also work.
Set up near trees so the birds feel safe. Use only a few perches, and you will be rewarded!
Look for more posts from our Roma workshop!
You can read more about Alan, browse his wonderful images and learn about his workshops here.
