With a really hot week coming up, it is a good time to think about a little relief for the birds.
Birds love a good birdbath, especially in the heat. They will use for drinking water, to bathe and to cool off.
A really simple and inexpensive birdbath can be made placing a plastic trash can lid into a shallow depression in your yard or flower bed. With just a little landscaping it can look very natural. A bath on the ground is very natural location for the birds. A shallow bath is good, and a few stones or gravel for use by smaller birds will be appreciated.
This kind of birdbath is very easy to rinse with a garden house.
Use dripping water to help alert the birds to the presence of the bath.
A small pond with running water will attract a surprisingly large number of birds. Take a look at a pond and photographs of Linda Alley.
http://www.pbase.com/wingsandthings/root
Go to the Pond and visitors page and the My Yards Page (bottom left) to see some of her Texas bird visitors.