Birdsong

1. Measure and cut two lengths of timber, one 30cm long and the other 14cm long. The longest piece will be the backing support for the bottle and the shorter piece the base for the saucer.

2. Place the longer piece of timber on top of the shorter one to create an L-shape. Hammer three nails spread evenly across the edge of the short piece to secure both pieces together (pic 1).

3. Measure and mark four holes and drill (see pic 2 and diagram below). These holes will be used to thread the wire through and secure the bottle.

4. Paint two coats of the darker Resene colour on the timber bird feeder, for example Resene Time After Time. Allow to dry between coats. Paint the saucer with two coats of the lighter colour, for example Resene Half Dusted Blue (pic 3).

5. Once dry, measure 2.5cm in from the ends along the top edge of the long piece and screw the eyelets into place (pic 4). Cut a piece of rope approximately 50cm long and thread each end through the eyelet, securing with a double knot.

6. Use a small amount of hot glue to glue the saucer to the base of the feeder. Push it up against the back of the feeder so there is no gap (pic 5).

7. Remove the wire arm of the bottle that has the stopper attached, leaving the part that’s fixed to the bottle. Use pliers to cut two pieces of wire 20cm long, then fold in half like a hairpin. Thread through the loop (pic 6) on both sides of the bottle. (This means you’ll have a doubled piece of wire to thread through each of the lower pre-drilled holes.) Cut another wire piece 30cm long and bend into an arch.

8. Three- quarter fill the bottle with birdseed (a funnel or similar is very useful for this). Place a piece of tape over the mouth of the bottle to stop the seed from falling out while you position it (pic 7).

9. Turn the bottle upside down and place it right in the centre between the drilled holes. Thread the wire through the holes and twist at the back to hold the bottle firmly in place. The mouth of the bottle should sit only a few centimetres above the saucer. If the gap is too big the birdseed will flow out of the bottle too quickly and it is likely to overflow. Once you have hung the feeder, remove the tape. Just enough seed should begin to fall as your feathery friends start to nibble.

Project by Marsha Smith, February 2020

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