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| Male Cardinal |
I recently conducted a class for the Master Gardener chapter that I'm a member of on making bird-feeders utilizing natural sources, recycled materials and re-purposed items. Of course the best bird-feeder is what nature provides: nuts, seeds and fruit from native trees, shrubs and wildflowers (and native insects)... Here's my hand-out for my "bird" talk I give:
Creating a Bird Garden
But - this class was all about creating bird-feeders and I came up with a few originals and I experimented with several I found on the Internet. I loved how my
DIY Wine Bottle Bird-Feeders turned out, but drilling the holes in the bottles takes a little practice to perfect the skill (and I still shatter a few bottles occasionally). This DIY, however, is similar and requires no tools - drills, drill bits, etc...
Supplies:
- Recycled glass water bottle - it must have a threaded cap (carbonated water, seltzer water, sparkling water, mineral water etc.). Wine bottles (even if they have a threaded cap) won't work.
- (Gadjit) premade plastic feeder base. You can occasionally find these adapters (they are designed to make a feeder out of a plastic 2 liter soda bottle) at a pet store, but you can also purchase one from my Etsy shop for $3.50 - click here: Rebecca's Bird Gardens (Etsy)
- 6 or 8 gauge copper wire (Home Depot - less than a dollar per foot). 8 gauge is easier to bend, but I like the look of the thicker gauge (6 gauge).
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| Male Cardinal |
How to:
Wrap the copper wire around the bottle. Start at the neck of the bottle (I make a small loop in the wire to have something to hold onto while I twist the wire). Continue wrapping the wire around the bottle making a hook or S shape at the top for hanging. -Add some "bling" (jewelry pendant, etc.).
Add birdseed - hang the feeder - watch the action!
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| Tufted Titmouse |
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| Female House Finch (or is it a female Purple Finch?) |
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| Male House Finch ~ Male Cardinal |
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| House Finch ~ Carolina Chickadee |
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| Downy Woodpecker |
This glass bottle bird-feeder, "The Bistro", is always available in the Etsy shop! Decorative accents - your choice at checkout - large tree (words in leaves), smaller tree or flower - all pendants are copper colored metal. Each feeder is unique and design will vary slightly.
