We also filmed the male on a nearby perch, which points out another advantage of finding nests. You can place a small pool of water to draw in a variety of species, especially some that are less common. But water has a split personality when it comes to small birds. Despite sporadic droughts, the water tool can dissolve some otherwise tough nuts. During migration, water can bring into camera range a bird, such as this hermit thrush, that may otherwise be absent from your area the rest of the year.
Most small birds prefer water near cover.
If they bathe, their wet feathers slow them down, so they want a bush or thicket nearby for a quick escape. The pool's placement, of course, is determined by the bird's preference, not by the photographer concerned with stuff like good light. The shady situation of our pool was remedied with the use of three flashes. The lights were covered with plastic bags and just left in place. But, as with the wrens, I did put the pool within view of a window.