Evening star., 1947-12-03
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceDelI

bird feeding station need not be built to
scale, or In any particular way, as bird house
must. This statement is made for the par
ticular benefit Of one correspondent, and for
all others who at some time or other may have
been puzzled in this matter.
While the bird house is constructed along
lines found to be best, with certain sized
entrance for each species, the feeding station
needs no such meticulous construction, but is
as free as the air.
The ground itself is the original feeding
place for birds. If we take this as the model
we can do no better than to make a tray,
with little ledge around it, and affix the
tray to window sill, or on top of post or
stake
So now we have slightly more elaborate
feeder.
An old table will do.
But this sort of thing permits seed and
grain used as bird food to get very wet In
rain, or completely covered by snow.
So we put four posts at the corners and
place roof either fiat, V shaped, or peaked
over the whole.
Now we are beginning to have a feeding
station OF the more orthodox Sort
1t will be realized that the dimensions are
not arbitrary. but are simply to suit the stua-
ton, or based upon nothing more than the
whi;n Of the builder.
The window sill feeder is one Of the most
popular sort
This is just tray with the little ledge
around it to keep the food from falling of,
and a roof.
A hopper may be built at the rear, to hold
a quantity of seed, and to feed it out into the
tray slowly. This is done by making the OPEN
ing just wide enough so that the mixed grain
and seeds cannot flow too fast. Even an am
bilious squirrel, eager for sunhower seed, can
not rake out too much at time.
In this way the hopper need not be filled
more than once day, in most cases; and If
there are not too many squirrels and sparrows,
maybe not more than every other day or so.
Thus we have three natural bird feeding
stations-the ground, the window sill feeder,
and the device atop post or stake
There are for sale many notifications some
of them very nice, others not so good Much
ingenuity has been exerted to make squirrel
proof" feeders. Glass jars have been used as
food hoppers. Great metal tunnels, inverted,
are offered to keep squirrels off posts.
Feeding stations are made to run on pulley
lines. and Others from tiny to very large
and costing quite sum-to fit into all sorts
of situations and to meet all needs.
These are all bird feeding stations, and one
with the price may take his choice, but the
birds will appreciate your food just as well
if it is served to them at the same place every
day on the driveway, or beneath some shrub
in the back yard.
The newcomer to bird feeding should always
try to decide where he wants to view the bird
from, and therefore where is the best place
to put whatever sort Of feeding station he
makes or buys.
The feeding station may be put at the win
dow, out in the yard, swinging from a tree
or simply on the ground.
It will be well to dig up place beneath a
shrub, so that the birds may have dust
bath, and to place a shallow bowl or pan OF
water not too close to the feeding place
AS for what foods to use, mixed seeds and
grains, called "wildbird feed" may be secured
at pet stores, plant stores, and hardware stores:
or chick feed, so-called, or baby chick feed
| may be bought at feed stores (and at some
hardware stores and mixed with handful
| or two of sunfower seed.
These make the best types Of food for the
| formal feeding station. In addition, beef suet
| may be put on tree, and raisins may be
| sprinkled in the grass, or put on porch rail
Slices of moistened bread do nicely in the
| cold, but they will attract starlings. Dough
nuts, cake. and odds and ends Of cereals, etc.
may be added to the bird menu.