A birdbath is a lovely addition to any garden or balcony, as well as an important source of fresh water for birds to drink and bathe as summers get hotter, and even during the winter when natural sources can freeze. But you don’t have to spend a lot to purchase one. We all have those long-forgotten bowls and pans that we no longer really use but can’t bear to let go. Turning them into birdbaths is a win-win solution to the dilemma.
在任何花園或陽台上，鳥浴盆都是一個可愛的點綴，同時也是鳥類在夏日越來越熱、冬天自然水源可能結冰時飲水與沐浴的重要水源之一。不過，購買一個不一定要花很多錢。我們都會有那些被長久遺忘、卻捨不得丟棄的碗盤。把它們改造成鳥浴盆，這是一個雙贏的解決方案。
Before you go rummaging through the cupboard, there are a few things to consider when making your birdbath. First, you need a bowl on the shallow side, 1 to 2.5 inches deep. Ideally, you want a wide bowl or dish with gently sloping sides — like a large pie pan, for instance. You can also upcycle inexpensive thrift store dishes if you don’t have already something for this project. Ceramic, stoneware, and glass dishes are best. Metal ones might get too hot, unless you place them in a shady spot.
在開始翻找櫥櫃之前，製作鳥浴盆時有幾件事需要考慮。首先，你需要一個淺口的碗，深度約1至2.5英吋（約2.5至6.4公分）。理想情況是寬口碗或碟，邊緣微傾斜——例如一個大型餡餅盤。若你還沒有現成可用的材料，也可以回收便宜的二手店餐具。陶瓷、陶土和玻璃餐具最佳；金屬材質的可能會太熱，除非放在陰涼處。
There are different ways to make your upcycled birdbath. If you want to make a freestanding one as a garden centerpiece, you can use a discarded table or chair leg as a base, or find a lamp that no longer works (chances are you also have one of those stashed somewhere) and remove all the cabling to use it as a shorter pedestal. You could also stack a few thrift store finds — a large vase as the bottom and a bird-themed saucer or bowl on top, for instance, for a whimsical look. Gather your materials and get crafty.
有多種方式可以把這個回收再利用的鳥浴盆做出來。如果你想要一個獨立式、作為花園的中心裝飾，可以用一支被遺棄的桌腳或椅腿當作基座，或找一盞不再工作的燈具（你家裡大概也藏著這樣的東西），把電線全部拆除，作為較短的基座。你也可以堆疊幾件二手店的物件——例如把一個大花瓶放在底部，上面再放一個鳥類主題的碟子或碗，營造出俏皮的效果。把材料收集齊全，動手發揮創意吧。
How to make a DIY birdbath from a serving bowl or dish
First, attach a piece of scrap wood to the top of the base where you want the bowl to sit, then affix the bowl to the wood. Use a strong all-purpose glue that works on wood as well as whatever material the dish is made from — Liquid Nails, silicone, or something similar work great. Make sure to use nontoxic materials if you’re gluing or painting the base. Let the birdbath cure for at least 24 hours before displaying, so it doesn’t fall apart.
首先，在底座頂部你希望碗盆坐落的位置，固定一塊木片作為支架，然後把碗黏在木頭上。使用能同時適用於木材與碟子材質的強力通用膠黏劑——如 Liquid Nails、矽膠或類似產品都很適用。若你在黏貼或上色底座，務必使用無毒材料。讓鳥浴盆至少固化24小時再展示，這樣才不會散開。
If that seems like too much work, simply put the bowl on top of a stack of bricks or on the corner of the balcony railing. For deeper bowls, add a few rocks to give smaller birds a perching spot. A piece of slate tile would make a nice shallow end for them to bathe, too. If you have smaller, shallow dishes, you can scatter a few throughout your garden, in flower beds, or amid potted plants on your balcony. If you’re growing fruit plants that attract birds to your yard, place the birdbath nearby. Birds are attracted to the sound of running water, so creating a bubbling bird fountain project by adding a solar pump would be beneficial for them.
如果這看起來太費力，就把碗碟直接放在一堆磚塊上，或放在陽台欄杆的角落。對於較深的碗，加入幾塊石頭，給較小的鳥類提供棲息點。也可以放一塊板岩瓷磚，作為牠們洗浴時的淺端。若你有較小、較淺的碗碟，可以在花園各處散放，或在陽台的花盆間散置。若你正在種植會吸引鳥兒的水果植物，請把鳥浴盆放在附近。鳥兒對流水聲很敏感，因此透過安裝太陽能水泵來創造泡泡的鳥浴噴泉，對牠們會更有幫助。
Make sure to clean the bath regularly to avoid bacteria that can spread diseases that can harm the birds. Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar will keep algae from forming. And while some suggest adding pennies to the birdbath, as copper is believed to prevent algae from growing, experts say it’s best to avoid this, since pennies also contain other metals that might be harmful to the birds.
請定期清潔鳥浴盆，以避免可能傷害鳥類的細菌與疾病蔓延。加入少量蘋果醋可以抑制藻類生長。雖然有些人建議往鳥浴盆中放入便士以防藻類生長，因為銅被認為能抑制藻類，但專家表示最好避免，因為便士還含有其他金屬，可能對鳥類有害。
