I can add House Finch and Northern Cardinal to your list of birds that enjoy
the late-day watering I do on my gardens.  My fan-type oscillating sprinkler
puts out a lot of water, but the birds have all learned to park in the
hawthorn tree and bathe in the water that drips from the leaves. I have to
admit that we have allowed the birds a bath on days that we didn't need to
water the garden!
Mona Bearor
So. Glens Falls, NY

-----Original Message-----
From: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ian A. Worley
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2012 5:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VTBIRD] Sprinkler birds

These persistent days of searing sun, arid humidity, and bone dry soils
means lots of watering of perennial flower beds at our house in the driest
part of the Champlain Valley.

Of late, when I use a mist-spray waterer in the gardens, in the heat of the
day numerous birds have been congregating in the mist.  Some just sit on the
ground in the mist, others on branches.  Chipping and Song Sparrows spend
time on shrub branches constantly fluffing their soaked feathers, flapping
their wings, and preening as they might in a puddle 
bathing.   The Hummingbirds fly through the mist, and also sit on wet 
twigs appearing to drink from droplets.  Downy Woodpeckers just park on the
bark of a tree, soaking.

So far these species have regularly availed themselves of the mist
sprinkler:

American Robin
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Sparrow

Ian
Southern end of Snake Mountain, Cornwall