Project Planning

I have been wanting to put up some bird feeders around my home. Sounds simple enough, just put up a bird feeder and add bird food. I noticed that we have a Wild Birds Unlimited very close to where we live. Putting up bird feeders may not be all that hard to do, but they are not just that simple. First off the bird food or bird seeds that are commonly available contain a lot of seed that the birds will not eat. Then the seeds you use will depend upon the birds you wish to attract. On top of all that the bird feeder style also depends on the birds you wish to attract and the bird seed. Okay it may not be rocket science but it may not be common knowledge to most people. If you are like me, ignorant to the specific needs of wild birds, I have listed a few good resources on the styles of bird feeders.

Feeder Styles and Their Uses

• 10 Types of Bird Feeders You Need in Your Backyard by Hannah Holtz Dec. 04, 2020
  • Learn about the different feeders available, and make plans to add a new one to attract more birds.
• 10 Types of Bird Feeders You Need in Your Backyard by Hannah Holtz Apr. 06, 2021
  • Yes it is the same article just a different website with some different images.
• 24 Different Types of Bird Feeders on Home Stratosphere
  • Attract the widest range of yard birds by choosing the right type of bird feeder that would dispense the right kinds of seeds.
• How to Choose the Right Kind of Bird Feeder on The Cornell Lab
  • The ideal bird feeder is sturdy enough to withstand winter weather and squirrels, tight enough to keep seeds dry, easy to assemble and, most important of all, easy to keep clean.
• Types of Wild Bird Feeders on Perky-Pet
  • Here is a quick reference guide to the different bird feeders and the benefits of each.

Now that I know a little more about feeding wild birds I realize that I will be using a few different styles of bird feeders. While looking online at images of bird feeders I came across this image.

I thought is a neat idea, but I would not want that in my front yard. That is when I came up with the idea of a small gazebo, maybe four or five feet wide. That would be cute enough that my wife would allow it in the front yard.

I searched online for gazebo plans. There are a lot of them out there. Not that I am going to use a plan or even if there are any plans for small gazebo’s. I was thinking about building a square gazebo, but I think this one looks much better.

Did I forget anything? What about the species of wild birds for my area? So here is my to do list…

1. Decide on the species of the wild birds in my area and decide which one’s I want to attract to my yard.
2. Pick the different styles of feeders I want to use.
3. Decide on a structure to protect use to protect the feeders from the weather.

What about water? What about squirrels? We do have an abundance of squirrels in our neighborhood.

Please, let me know in the comments what I am missing.

Mark