I keep a clay or plastic saucer on the ground and put the sand color rocks in it for the sparrows and they absolutely love it. No other birds bother it. The reason I started that was one day there was some sort of container out there that had collected water and the sparrows were trying to bathe in it and it just wasn’t large enough. Little birds don’t go to the bigger bird bath, except I do see the yellow finches go to the bigger one. My sparrows love their private little bath!
I use a large clay saucer because it is easy to take in and bleach in summer and I have two more waiting for use..I put out two when cedar waxwings and robins come..So far not one sighting this year.
:o(