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STONE BIRD BATH
There Is a Face in the Trunk
Brows, nose and a long beard emerge from the bark, and the eyes are set dark enough that they read as looking at you rather than past you.
The face is not applied to the surface. The grain runs into the brows and the beard splits the way bark splits, so the whole thing looks grown rather than stuck on. That is the difference between a carving and a decal.
The basin is a shallow timber dish with an irregular edge, wide at 17.7 inches. It sits above the head like something the old man is holding up.
What Makes This Bird Bath Different
- The face grows out of the grain. Bark lines run into the brows, the beard splits the way real bark splits, and the eyes sit deep enough to hold shadow. Applied faces sit on top of the wood texture and you can see the join. This one has no join to find, which is why it holds up when someone walks over to look at it.
- A 17.7 inch basin gives a bird room to hesitate. They land on the rim, settle, look around, and only then step in. A wide edge leaves space for that. The irregular timber edge also gives better grip than a smooth stone rim once feet are wet.
- Fill to two inches, not to the brim. At that depth chickadees stand on the rim and sip, robins get right in and shake water over the beard below. Filled to the top it becomes a drinking stop.
- Twenty nine pounds of sealed concrete. It stays where you put it through a season of weather, and the sealed surface comes through freeze and thaw once it is drained.
A face wants to be met, so put it where people come from rather than side on to a path. Under a tree, in a shaded border, among ferns. It reads as part of the garden when there is green around it and as an object on bare paving. Leave two or three feet of open ground for the birds and keep a shrub within a short flight.
Quick Specifications
| Design | Tree trunk with carved face and timber basin |
|---|---|
| Material | Concrete |
| Finish | Hand painted, weather sealed |
| Height | 23.6 in. |
| Basin diameter | 17.7 in. |
| Water depth | 2 in. recommended |
| Weight | 29.5 lb. |
| Assembly | Two piece, no tools required |
| Use | Outdoor year round |
Setup, Care, and Warranty
Setup and placement
Two pieces, no tools. Set it on level solid ground.
Turn the face toward the approach. From behind it is a plain trunk and the whole point is lost.
Filling it
Two inches is the number. Birds wade rather than swim. Shallow water also warms faster in spring, which brings them back sooner.
Keeping the carving sharp
A soft brush every couple of weeks keeps the beard grooves and the eye sockets clear. Those recesses are what give the face its expression, so they are worth keeping clean.
Winter
Drain the basin before the first hard frost and leave it empty or turned over. Sealed concrete comes through freeze and thaw well when dry.
3 year warranty
This product includes a 3 year warranty against cracking. Coverage, claim requirements and required documents are subject to the warranty policy that applies at the time of purchase. Keep your order confirmation and contact customer support with your order details if service is needed.
Questions Before You Choose
Is the face carved or applied?
Carved into the trunk. The grain runs into the brows and the beard splits like bark, so there is no join between face and wood. Applied faces show that join at close range.
Which way should it face?
Toward wherever people arrive from. It is a face, and a face turned side on to a path does not do its job.
Will birds actually use it?
The 17.7 inch basin has a wide irregular rim, which gives better grip than smooth stone once feet are wet. Fill to two inches, keep the approach open, and have cover within a short flight.
Is it too much for a formal garden?
It is a character piece, and it works best where the planting is informal. In a clipped formal setting a carved face will read as out of place regardless of quality.
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