The adorable Bushtits have found a “new spa” in my garden. A couple of female Bushtits look at the bubble that is bigger than they are while a male waits his turn behind them. The funny thing about the “new spa.” It’s been here all along. They had to seek a new bathing source because after months of intermittent operation, my old fountain has finally died. One of the saddest things I’ve witnessed was a couple of weeks ago when the flock of Bushtits hopped one by one onto the dry top of the fountain, looking expectantly at the center hole for the bubble to emerge at any moment. Of course it did not and after a few minutes, one by one they flew off and I haven’t seen them since until yesterday afternoon. Oddly, although the alternative “new spa,” a large vase type fountain with a bubble through the center and an opening on the side into which the water flows, sets just a couple of feet away, they never once tried it out until yesterday. It has been there for years and many of the birds, especially various Finches and the Hummers, have enjoyed bathing in it. And now, until the larger fountain is replaced, it is the only moving water in my garden. The Bushtits, who tend to bathe in a large group, have always preferred the flat topped millstone that allowed 15 at a time to pile on. So,I was quite surprised yesterday afternoon when I looked out and saw the Bushtits congregating on perches around the fountain. Then, one by one they started to jump in. Of course I grabbed my camera and went out. It took them a minute or so to realize I was not a threat and once I’d sat down, they slowly returned. The top is much smaller than the old fountain but there are some rocks around one edge that allowed seven or eight at a time to squeeze onto the top. They took turns jumping in and out and on and off the rocks. I was glad they found the “new spa” because it seems to give them joy.