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| Bird feeder stand from wood |
For the stand:
1. An open tray bird feeder - like the one in the picture.
2. One 4”x 4” length of spruce or cedar for the center pole - cut to the preferred height.
3. Four pieces of 2”x 4” cedar or spruce – each about 2.5 feet long. These make the base 'legs'.
4. 3 inch deck screws - 12-16 of them, or more. The base needs to be stable.
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| Blue jay gets the nut |
With the 4x4 post down on the floor, attach the first base leg. I drilled guide holes, and then screwed the leg on. The broad side (4”) of the 2X4 sits snug against the side of the post at the bottom. The narrow side of the 2x4 will rest on the ground once the stand is upright. I had help holding the post straight up while I screwed on 2 more base legs. Move the stand outdoors to attach the 4th leg. I had to work a bit to square everything up. The base must be wide enough to keep everything stable. The higher the feeder, the broader the base needs to be. I tapered each outside end of the 4 base 'leg' pieces to reduce the risk of tripping. (Attach a squirrel baffle now, if required).
For the platform collar:
1. 2 pieces of 2x4 (spruce or cedar) each 3.5 inches in length.
2. 2 pieces of 2x4, each 6.5 inches in length.
3. 3 inch deck screws - 4-8 of them
4. - a few smaller screws to attach the feeder - first to the collar. Then to attach the collar to the pole stand.
Attach the feeder with collar to the stand
Place the pole where you want it. The collar and attached feeder slip over the top of the stand, onto the 4x4 post. Put in a screw from the platform into the stand, to hold the feeder in place, if needed.
Place the pole where you want it. The collar and attached feeder slip over the top of the stand, onto the 4x4 post. Put in a screw from the platform into the stand, to hold the feeder in place, if needed.
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| The baffle keeps the squirrels out. |
How to get the birdseed into the feeder? In order to see the feeder from the window, the feeder needs to be quite high. The tube bird seed carrier below works perfectly to tumble the bird seed into the feeder when standing on the ground.
Wine Tube Bird Feeder
Take a cardboard wine tube. Poke a hole in the side of the tube near the base. Punch another one directly opposite the one you just made. Run a long bamboo stick through the two holes. Use duct tape to hold the stick securely in place. Put birdseed into the tube. Hold the stick tightly with both hands. Raise it up to the feeder and tip the seed in. Hint: once the seed is in the tube, put the lid back on until you get to the feeder, just in case it topples.
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| Bird feeder scoop for high bird feeders. |
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| Tip the wine tube bird feeder full of seed into the tray. |
Update: December, 2020. This set up is now 6 years old. It has held up well. The stand is stable and straight. The feeder tube works perfectly too - just be sure to keep it dry.