Scully, yep - we are a bit warmer here, but it's the overnight hard freezes that crack birdbath basins. On cold winter days, if I notice an ice skim forming, I'll add warm water too, but if I'm gone for the day the risk of freezeover escalates. The heater works 24/7. We've had a warm fall too, but if the Old Farmers Almanac is right, once it gets here, we're in for it this winter. Btw - Everytime I open this thread I get a mental picture of Woodstock ice skating on the birdbath - brings a smile to my face ....... thanks! Another little aside is that in the heat of summer, I take a pitcher full of ice cubes out to the birdbath - the flapping about definitely increases when I cool it down! :o) Love my birds!

I have one like this that will fit any bath, I paid about $50 at a pet store, but been using it for more than 10 years. I'd like to try one of the ones that are submersible, the flat circular ones, they're cheaper too, but i can't say how they'd hold up. This one can get knocked over on busy days, but I have to fill the bath everyday anyway, so it's no biggie. I'm convinced that water brings as many if not more birds than food in winter, I have flocks of bluebirds, finches, doves, sparrows, everything all day long lining up for a turn at the bath. When we have long below freezing spells, i often have to fill twice a day. Another Lynn in IN ;~) Here is a link that might be useful: the type of heater i have.

Snakes are typically animals that prefer "edge" habitat - this habitat is often the area at the meeting of say, a forest, and perhaps what naturally might be a field, or a clearing. This edge habitat can be artificially created by humans in the form of agricultural lands or grazing lands, but also in the form of say, gardens. The benefit of these edge habitats is that it gives snakes ample opportunity and options to better thermoregulate, not to mention the fact that many species of prey animals (predominantly birds and mammals) are also attracted to edge habitat. Now, piling up a bunch of rocks in this already beneficial edge habitat can provide these animals with yet a better opportunity to thermoregulate. In essence, laying out rocks (especially if these rocks have space beneath them) is no different than what many scientists and field herpers do when they lay out boards and tin - they are creating artificial cover to (for the sake of argument) better observe/attract animals. I myself have personally laid out rocks, tin, and boards to attract animals in the past, and much of the time such effort is successful. Inadvertently several years ago I piled a large number of rocks in an area of my yard that was virtually unable to be gardened - within a few weeks I was seeing numbers of racerunners and fence lizards utilizing this rocky area (I had never observed racerunners anywhere near my yard until this incident). As for the issue with water, a birdbath certainly would not cause a snake to come to your yard whereas a larger body of water (a pond for example) might be enough to attract some species, especially during times of heat and drought. I would be rather interested in seeing the citations to such papers that state where copperheads utilize morning dew as a source of rehydrating themselves, if they could be provided. Now, to get to the question at hand, I completely agree with Erik. You really can't deter these snakes from using your yard, but then again as he stated, while venomous these snakes are highly inoffensive and quite beautiful. I have literally stepped on these animals before (unknowningly of course) and they have remained unaggressive. If they are in your area, just use a bit more caution and "look before you leap." I would rather enjoy finding the occasional copperhead in my yard! I hope this helps ~Mike

Yes, I love the monarda/bee balm, Samuel. I've never been able to grow it very well. What is the secret to growing it? Ken, as the appraisers on "Antiques Roadshow" would say, your bird bath has patina. It's much more interesting and appealing to me that way. Good find. Jim, that is a cute little finch. Do you have a lot of them? We've got many, and they live in the three blue spruce next door. I love those guys and call them the Bickersons. They bicker and chatter up a storm. They like to live in climbing roses, and in my former home, they lived in the ivy that grew on the house. I didn't realize there were nests in the ivy until I got hit in the face with bird poopla that fell out of the nest as I was cleaning the ivy. Live and learn. Diane