For the Birds

I've been meaning to put out bird feeders ever since we moved into the new house (a year ago now!) but I just got around to it the other day. Of course - we don't own any bird feeders, so Jo and I made a couple.

First up was the paper-towel tube feeder. Want to make your own? Spread peanut butter all over the outside of a paper towel tube and roll it in bird seed. Tie a length of twine (more than twice the length of the cardboard tube) around the center of a popsicle stick. Thread both ends of string through the tube so that the popsicle stick acts as a stopper at the bottom. Tie the ends in a knot and hang it outside.

We had to wait for an empty milk carton for the second one. Poke a hole through the top of a milk carton. Thread some string through it and tie it at the top for a hanger. Cut openings in opposite sides of the milk carton - not too close to the bottom - the seeds will only go up to the bottom of the opening. Poke holes an inch or so below each opening and thread a dowl through these holes. Fill with seeds, hang outside, and wait for the birds to find it.

No birds have found them yet. It's been so cold and windy out that I hope they're all hunkered down. I think I've seen one bird in the last week. One. Except for our chickens, of course. We did see one ENORMOUS opossum yesterday, walking down our driveway in the middle of the day. It was the biggest one I've ever seen - the size of a smallish dog. I wonder why it was out during the day. It certainly didn't look hungry.

Anyway, until I have photos of actual birds to show, I thought I'd leave you with this lovely wool bird from Cat's Miaow. Isn't he a cutie?