Background
I encourage birds to the garden as they eat unwanted insects such as green fly and white fly which has the added benefit of not having to use insecticides etc. When watching birds using a seed feeder i have often seen the birds waiting their turn at the feeder sitting in a nearby rosebush and picking off the greenfly from under buds or leaves. Of course it could also be that eating the insects while waiting their turn also gives the waiting birds time to get the courage to push the feeding ones off and get some seed. What ever it is i felt that i should give a little in return for the birds removing the pests from the garden by ensuring that their food is in good condition and well presented when they visit. I like to think that if the food is dry and clean then they are more likely to visit my garden than my neighbours where the fat balls are out in the open. In winter in particular when it rains the fat balls get wet and can break apart and land on the ground where the birds are more open to attack from prowling cats. This simple little feed station can be set up in a safe sheltered spot where it wil be dry and safe from cats.
Prototype Fat Ball Bird Feeding Station
The fat ball feeding station is made from pieces of decking. This is a tough and sturdy material and as it has been pressure treated will resist rain, snow and sunshine.
The fat balls in the plastic net bags are simply hung from the hooks which are screwed into the wooden back plate. The separate arrangement of the fat balls means less squabbling between the birds compared to the situation where the balls are all suspended from one point. I like to think that spacious dining arrangements leads to good manners at the table! Afterall there is nothing worse for we humans than going to a restaurant only to find that the tables are almost stacked on top of one another.
The angled roof ensures that water is diverted away from the fat balls and they are kept dry. It has the added advantage of providing a little shelter for the birds while they feed when it is raining.
The fat balls in the plastic net bags are simply hung from the hooks which are screwed into the wooden back plate. The separate arrangement of the fat balls means less squabbling between the birds compared to the situation where the balls are all suspended from one point. I like to think that spacious dining arrangements leads to good manners at the table! Afterall there is nothing worse for we humans than going to a restaurant only to find that the tables are almost stacked on top of one another.
The angled roof ensures that water is diverted away from the fat balls and they are kept dry. It has the added advantage of providing a little shelter for the birds while they feed when it is raining.