As you may know - I have a little more time on my hands lately, and thought that I'd get a few edits done and get some more Canadian Kids related posts up...
Meghan and I made a birdfeeder awhile ago out of a few things we had lying around.
What you'll need:
- empty peanut butter jar (plastic - duh) if you are not in north america, and don't have access to a peanut butter jar, try Nutella...
- old coat hangers (not plastic!)
- pliers
- birdseed
- some bacon fat (not absolutely necessary)
- Bamboo skewer (or reasonable facsimile)
- masking tape
Step 1.
Untwist the coat hanger, use the pliers here if you're not superman with the hands. You don't have to straighten it, just get it apart.
Step 2.
Poke holes in the Peanut Butter jar. Positioning of these holes is the key... if it were laying on it's side - the hold should be just above halfway to the top, and just over halfway to the lid.
This allows it to stay upright - but allows for movement so the squirrels aren't able to stay on it.
Step 3.
Put the coat hanger through the two holes and then twist it back together so it looks like a normal coat hanger. (that's how you hang it!)
Step 4.
Cut hole in lid. Just big enough that birds can get in.
Step 5.
Poke hole in lid, just below opening - for the bamboo skewer. Something for the birdies to land on.
Step 6.
Fill with birdseed.
Step 7.
Nuke the bacon fat. Then pour it into jar with seeds. Give it a good shake.
Step 8.
Put the lid on.
Step 9.
Put a little tape on the hanger, on either side of the jar. Stops it from falling to one side or the other...
Step 10.
Hang it.
Now just a warning... I tried this at first without the bacon fat. The squirrels figured out that they couldn't stay on it, but could knock it over a bit, and spill some of the seeds out. That's why I went for the bacon fat... The bacon fat (not too much - don't want to weigh it down!) holds the seeds in - no spillage.
Here's how I found out that I needed to add the bacon fat...
And here's what it looks like in action! A birdfeeder... feeding birds!
Love it! What a great idea and fun videos, thanks. :)
Very clever - and which part did Meghan do exactly?
OMG I've been wanting to buy a birdfeeder, since I just leave food out on my table in the backyard. I'd just do mine sans bacon -- cuz I'm vegan....! THANKS for the great info!
Thanks all.
XUP - I didn't force Meghan into any heavy child labour, this is an activity for daddy's 'n daughters ;-)
Haley-O - you might be able to substitute with a little vegetable oil, just to give a little tack to the seeds so they don't fall out if squirrels get access to it...
I guess this is what happens to a temporarily unemployed engineer, gotta build something! :-P