Make a natural log feeder
Give your garden birds an energy-rich feast, by creating a simple log feeder.
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This easy-to-make log feeder offers birds a feast of energy-boosting seeds and fat. Over time, the log will rot down, providing a perfect habitat - and a food source - for lots of different insects, many of which would make a tasty snack for birds, too.
You Will Need
- Log or thick branch
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Auger bits
- Ready-made suet and seed block, or any mix of suet/fat and seeds
- Garden spade
Total time: 30 minutes
Step 1
Drill lots of holes of various sizes into the log, using a selection of drill bits and auger bits. Work along the full length, on all sides.
Step 2
Push the fat and seed mix into all the drill holes. Then find a suitable site for the feeder where visiting birds won't be disturbed.
Step 3
Dig a hole, deep enough for support your log. Stand the log upright in the hole, then backfill with soil, firming it down with your foot.
Kate Bradbury says
If possible, use a log from a native tree, such as an oak or beech, growing in your garden or nearby. As it rots, it will attract beetles and other wood-boring insects, which have evolved alongside that tree. It’s a lovely symbiosis that happens all the time in the natural world, but which we can replicate in our gardens.