Bird Feeder

I've been feeding birds since I was so little I can't remember ever not feeding birds.  Or rabbits.  Or raccoon.

Seriously.

I have a bird feeder I bought at the store, that came with a basin in it, to fill with water.  But, I never really used it, so I just filled it with more food and put it on top of our fenceline in the back yard.

They didn't seem to mind, but every time it got windy, over the fence it went.  Then, I had to go retrieve it.  It's not like there's a door in the brick wall, either.  So, around the block I went.

When I was sick for a month, I about had enough of that.

Plus, it's not attractive.  That plastic thing.  And, since it didn't have holes in the bottom, it always filled with water when it rained.

And, apparently, birds do not like water-soaked seed.

So, we constructed something new.

Since we're woodworkers, reclaimed cedar isn't really hard for us to find in our own garage.  And, my mom had just given us an old office metal filing system.  The metal part makes a great bottom, since it has holes in it to drain water when it rains.

There are little feet at the bottom, too, to keep it off the stone for water drainage.

Just add seed!

The first to check it out were the grackle.  They will walk up to anything.  When the morning dove sat in it, I knew we had scored.  And, the sparrow, he visits when the hanging feeders are empty.

The kid loves bird watching.  I swear he wasn't going to attack them.  He just loves his bubble sword, too.

Now, it's onto making a couple more.