Water for foxes and cats being used by birds

In the summer I put out a little dish of water for foxes and cats. I do have a pond but it is covered by duck weed, though I've seen a fox drink out of it recently.

This year I've seen the little dish of water used several times by a sparrow and a blackbird and once by a robin. Especially pleasing as they wouldn't be able to use a pond.

In recent years the number of birds in my garden has greatly increased even though I don't encourage them because of the number of cats. There are still magpies around and, for the last couple of years, squirrels (which I think eat eggs) so I don't know what has happened to cause this but nice to see.