We have had a pair of Gray Catbirds hanging out in our backyard quite a bit lately.

The other day, this beauty stopped in for a quick sip…

…which turned into a satisfying soak…

…which soon became a boisterous bath!

Both the male and female catbirds have the same colors and markings (including the rusty rump patch you get a glimpse of in some of the photos), but the males are much more vocal during breeding season. Not only do they call out with their telltale “mew”, they also mimic frogs, mechanical noises, and other birds. Since this one was on the quiet side, we’ll just go ahead and assume it was a female.

Every once in awhile she would hop out and perch on the side of the birdbath, her feathers glistening with water droplets…

…and then hop back in and splash with great gusto and glee.

I know there are folks who say you can’t ascribe emotions to animals (myself not included)…

…but seriously, isn’t this gal the picture of joy!