My flopped bird bath

My workplace is a heritage palace building.  There are pillared courtyards in it.  All the three courtyards have a fountain cum birdbath in the centre. One of them was right in front of my workplace door.  I have always admired this beautiful setting and dreamt of having at least a bird bath after the gardening bug had bit me.

This beautiful vintage fountain [Made in Glasgow] is not used regularly for reasons of water conservation.  Entry to birds to the courtyards were blocked with mesh since many decades because of their disturbance in various ways.

When internet first arrived, I had seen pictures of bird baths on Dave's Garden and also on a site called 'Better Homes and Gardens' .  Many gardeners across the world had installed bird baths in their gardens.  I too wanted to have one.  There were many impressive DIY [do it yourself] projects that were simple and beautiful in the latter site.  I did make one myself from one such DIY project, from junked items.

See this rare picture I had captured.  Rare because I think this must be the only time when a bird, a Robin here had got on it!  I was so happy to capture an image as I was out in the garden with my new camera at that time!  Can you read the disappointment writ large in the Robin's posture and expression?

This project turned out to be an utter flop and that Robin confirmed it!  I came to know later that the birds do not get attracted to glitter but prefer the rustic and natural settings.  The steel plate I had used was very shallow too!  All I did was clean and replace new water often, thus exposing the shiny plate!  This worthless exercise went on for sometime and then I put it away, disgusted.

I looked for fresh ideas while I just watched the birds chirp around happily in the yard.  But I was determined to provide water for the birds' welfare.