[Tweeters] sunbathing, or I mean bathing in the sun

[Dennis Paulson via Tweeters]

Hello tweets,

An interesting thing I have noted recently is how much birds like the sun to be shining on their bathtub. Yesterday, just as the sun hit the edge of our pond in the back yard, juncos appeared and started bathing in the sun. They are in the yard all day long (we must have at least 25 this winter), feeding and just sitting around, but seem to delay bathing until that time.

Yesterday the pond was in the sun for an hour, and there was never a time when one, two, three or even four juncos weren’t taking a lengthy bath, usually at least 10 inches apart. As soon as the sun left the pond, no more bathing. It was really striking.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle