WATER is THE Critical Nutrient, especially in this FRIGID weather.
 
Dehydration, the lack of water, kills quicker than starvation.
 
Help your visitors to your yard and farms.
 
Make sure there is free-flowing water available.
 
Here is my front yard, just before I added water to the containers this morning, maybe it will give you some ideas:
My bowls are on the ground, on dark mats (to help absorb what sun gets to them).
I only half fill the bowls twice a day – makes it easier for me to flip out the ice chunks.
Those ice chunks on the grass are from late yesterday afternoon.
I use cold tap water: hot water actually freezes faster than cold water!
The “bowls” are metal pans, clay bowls and ceramic ones – different birds like different styles.
Once the water is drinkable, twice a day, then also check your feeders to make sure the seeds are flowing and the suet is accessible.
BTW the above advice about water goes for dogs, cats, horses and, of course humans.  Let’s help all we can.

LOCATING EAGLES: I was asked where to go and how to see eagles: here are my guide lines:
1. gather all the patience you possess
2. have at least 4 hours to spend at one time at one place in one session – I often spend 6-8 hours in the same place
3. have patience
4. plan to be in place 30 minutes before sunrise or 2 hours before sunset; middle of the day is not a good time for seeing any species of birds
5. wear dark clothing
6. have patience
7. go to the nearest boat ramp or fishing access area at any of the larger lakes and large rivers in NC
8. take a chair for the non-eagle quiet times – which is most of the time
9. have patience
10. remember that if you get closer than 300 feet in non-breeding season or 600 feet in breeding season the eagles will leave
11. if you try to get closer than a football field length the eagles will move away that same distance
12. find your place and wait for the eagles to come to you
13. have patience
14. when the eagle appears, enjoy
15. realize that I often spend many hours to get the one shot I have posted – some days I see absolutely no eagles
16. you might want to sharpen your eyes for sighting the various ages of the eagle: go to the Jordan Lake State Park Visitor Center on Hwy 64 west of Apex and test yourself using the eagle photos I have been graced to display there
17. enjoy being out in the wildness of creation and smile when your patience pays off and you get home with a photo of an eagle
18. and really, really light up when you realize you have practiced the most important word that I have stressed: patience
peace and grace, doc ellen
ps: this is Grayced and I practicing patience while waiting for the first birds of the day to the feeders in my yard
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