Painted a small deck today and while at it painted a weather worn bird feeder.
Now the old feeder looks good again, but makes a few near it look like crap.
Now I have to paint them all.
Looking at them as I sit on my fat ass, need to upgrade one as it is too small for the traffic (and needs paint). It is also the one closest to me in the yard at about 20'. Most foods don't go there as I can't have hulls blowing into my pond. It is a good suet and peanut location.
It is a nice store bought one about 1'X2' with a floor that drains.
Things like these are ridiculously expensive, plus they don't work as well as ones we can make to fit our needs.
My needs are good viewing and a larger roof overhang.
The arched roof as opposed to a flat roof is OK, but lets in more rain, and birds can't land on it as well.
Never buy a platform feeder that does not drain. By that I mean a mesh floor. Platform feeders mimic eating on the ground, just safer for birds on on a pole.
Here is the older and much larger one I painted today. This is an old photo, not from today. Of course it now has a baffle under it to annoy coons and chipmunks. It has been a very good one with years of use yet in it.
I also sit feeders on top and sometimes hang tube feeders from it.
I made this from grooved cedar to make it lighter. Any wood will work. Those plastic boards at Lowes would be great as they would never need upkeep. They are heavier, so why I use thin cedar.
That floor is the same type I have used for decades. Stretch hardware-cloth and then top with screen. It drains well, very durable, and the birds jump around like they are on the ground.
I just looked at replacing the one in the top photo with one a little larger at 12"X 24" with a flat roof of 18"X30" to give 6" overhang.
I can't get to it these days due to Spring arriving in the yard, but soon.
I'll take photos as I go, then later any who want one similar can see what I prefer.
In fact be glad to build one of any size for a friend, then show up and help mount it. I work for beer.
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