Bring the Birds to You with Home Made Bird Feeders

Nature provides us entertainment with many creatures.  There are huge animals like the majestic Moose, Elk, Bear and wolves, big cats and domestic animals as well.  Though these are wonderful animals to observe in their natural surroundings there is nothing quite like watching birds.  Temperatures variations and weather don’t seem to bother them and they twitter all over the landscape eating all the time.  In my neck of the woods I have watched a family of Pileated Woodpeckers increase in size.  They come to my feeders all the time as well at Blue Jays, Chickadees, Titmouse and some other birds that I don’t know what they are.  I can see the feeders and watch the birds for hours as they peck and fill their bodies. Some of them take turns coming and landing on the feeders and some just like the cat food in bowls on the deck floor.  I have watched a Blue Jay gobble up 6 pieces of cat food, take off with it and a few minutes later come back for more.  Thought Blue Jays are mean bird and will peck a cat to get to its food, they are gorgeous.  Watching birds is becoming a great pastime.  Teach your children about the birds that you see and let them watch them as well.  Bring them to your own back yard by making your very own inexpensive bird feeders.  Make your own feed and hang them in places that you will be able to see and watch them for hours.

There are plenty of Bird Feeders on the market.  I made a few feeders and have a recipe on how to make your own feeder and feed.  Remember to hang them high so cats and other critters don’t get to them.  Watch out for the squirrels as they love to get into them.  I have tried many different feeders and way to put up my bird feeders so the squirrels don’t get to it but they are very persistent.  I have tried put PVC Pipe with a platter on top and in the middle of the yard under no trees slathered with Petroleum jelly and they jumped onto it from the nearest tree some many feet away.  They couldn’t stay on the platter but that wasn’t their intent.  What they were doing was spilling all the seed on the ground and they were eating it wherever it landed.  Smart they are!  Another way that I have it now is hung under the eave of the house on my back deck.  For years no squirrel even attempted to get to them.  Last year two squirrels did manage to get to the feeders but they had such a difficult time getting down they never tried it again.  Plus the trees that they got onto the roof on are gone.  So for now my feeders and the birds are safe.

Here is a picture of my feeders and how they are hung from the back deck.  I do have cats but they cannot reach the feeders and the birds don’t come near them for them to catch them.  I have found that you cannot just put bird seed in the dish.  They throw it around and it will be everywhere instead of in their bellies and you will have one big mess. 

I make my own suet for the feeders.  Now you can get creative with things that you have around the house.  I have found that they prefer bacon drippings over lard, but will eat it if that is all there is.  I normally add 1 cup crunchy peanut butter and 1 cup bacon drippings, lard and sometimes vegetable shortening to a large pot and melt it to liquid. To this I add whatever I have around the house like raisins, peanuts stale nuts or even corn.  Add a few cups of fruit and nut bird seed, a cup of rolled oats and maybe some cornmeal.  Then after that you can add a finely chopped apple or I have even added blackberries and peaches.  They love the blackberries.  While warm spoon this into your containers.  Let it cool down for a bit and then hang them.  This should last a few months.  Enjoy watching the birds come to your feeders.  They will entertain you for hours.

© Debra K. Allen a.k.a Lady Guinevere

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