We brought out the front yard bird bath in early May.
The usual small birds have been enjoying it, but are too shy to allow pictures to be taken of them.
About 10 days later we noticed a raven dropping in a for a drink. I grabbed my cell phone and snapped a picture thro9ugh the blind, not wanting to scare him off.
Yesterday, and again this morning, we noticed the water in the bird bath was EXTREMELY dirty and seemed to have something more than bird poop in it
The mystery was solved later in the day.....
Mr Raven was bringing his meal to be washed. I knew raccoons washed their food, but birds????
Another cell phone shot, but snuck in front of the blind this time. Notice lunch in the bird bath, and the water is still somewhat clean.
Since he didn't seem to be bothered, like the little birds, with a slightly moving blind I grabbed my camera and stuck it beside the blind....
He watched it while it soaked, then took it out, rinsed it, and took off with some of it.
A short time later a slightly smaller version flew in and grabbed the rest. I suspect it was his mate as female ravens are smaller (I think) or maybe an observant opportunistic crow. I didn't have time to get a picture of it.
Notice the lack of cleanliness of the water.....