Bird Watching: Keeping Birds Watered While Away for a Few Days, 1 by Chillybean

Chillybean wrote:
We are planning to be away next month for three full days and if weather is nasty, it may be longer. Feeding should be easy enough by making sure everything is full and extra seed is on the ground, but what can be done about the water situation. We purchased an electric heater that you put the heating element at the bottom and it is to be covered in water. This is what we use and it is connected to an extension cord.
http://www.nelsonmfg.com/dog-wild-bird/bird-heater/

My picture shows the bird bath we will be using through the winter. As you can see, it is pretty shallow. At this time, I think it is the winds that dry it out more than the birds using it. We have only a handful of Juncos and house sparrows, a couple woodpeckers and Jays that use it, but as it gets colder I hope more will.

We do not have close neighbours to ask to fill up the bath at least once while we are away. Would it be best to just remove the heater before we leave? I don't like the option, really, so is there anything else I'm not thinking of? If we are already dipping into the upper teens, I can imagine by then it will be even colder. This is our first year for using a bath, but have been feeding through several winters, so the birds must have found water somewhere.

Thanks for any suggestions.