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FoxySly
07-14-2009, 11:55 AM
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These are Winter time bird feeders & I took these photos last December but forgot to upload them. I was thinking about waiting until Fall but thought I might forget again so I decided to go ahead & upload them now.
Maybe most everyone already does these but for those who have not seen them before here is a awesome way to make Bird Feeders for the cold season when their food is scarce.

I start out with Pine Cones. These big ones happen to come from Sly Park named after my GGGGreat Grandpa James C. Sly but of course any opened cone will do:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/1SlyParkPineCone.jpg

Next I use pliers to close cup hooks:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/2CupHook.jpg

Get out a jar of peanut butter (I always stock up when it's on sale) & start softening it by sticking the jar in a pan of hot water:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/3PeanutButter.jpg

I screw the cup hook into the top of the cone, than unscrew it, add a drop of wood glue there than screw it in again & let it set up for a day:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/4ClosedCupHookGluedIn.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/5ClosedCupHookGluedIn2.jpg
I reuse the Cones over & over & have never had a hook come out even in strong winds.

Than I spread the softened Peanut Butter all over the Pine Cone letting it ooze into all the openings:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/6SpreadingPeanutButterOnCone.jpg

I have a container of nuts & seeds ready:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/7NutsSeedsinContainer.jpg

And roll the Peanut Buttered Pine Cone over & over into it:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/8RollingConeinNutsSeeds.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/9.jpg

Seeds & nuts now firmly packed into Pine Cone:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/10ConePackedInNutsSeeds.jpg

Now the Wild Bird Feeder is ready for a ribbon or small rope to be put through closed cup hook & ready for hanging:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h202/SLYcrafts/Critter%20Bird%20Feeders/11BirdFeederReadyforRopeorRibbon.jpg

I hang most of my bird feeders right out the window me, my dog & cat use the most & I have taken photos of the birds eating there but because of the screen the photos did not turn out good.

Normally I do a dozen feeders at a time outside. I have an old cooler outside I keep the seeds & nuts in. When a cone is empty I toss it into the old cooler until I'm ready to do them all again.

Sly

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Noahs ARK
07-14-2009, 05:00 PM
I love your pictures!

I do the same thing with my pine cones.

Another great winter bird feeder...

Take a piece of wood from a fallen branch or your firewood. Drill a hole at the top for a hook. Drill holes thru the piece of wood and fill with peanut butter.

I always try to find a piece of wood that has a little branch coming out of it, so the birds can sit on that while eating the peanut butter.

The birds will thank you!!