You're at: https://57296.neocities.org/feeder.html
(last worked on: October 2nd, 2018)
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--which evolved into this configuration over 17 years.
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* The heart of our bird feeder is (of course) a bird feeder --a commercial item from Walmart.
* Around that Walmart feeder, however, is a cage --for keeping out big birds (pigeons, who we feed separately, and attacking hawks), cats (about 6 of them hanging around), and (possibly) larger squirrels (but we have none).
* Atop the cage is a roof against rain (though our rain often blows sidewise).
* Below the feeder is a catch basin --for all the seeds that our messy birds flick aside. This waste seed use to accumulate by the shovel full on the ground, which attracted sewer rats and pigeons, which in turn attracted cats, which in turn made our birds rather nervous. Some years ago we instead started emptying that catch basin over the fence --where two dozen or so pigeons and crows can eat it up in safety, while still putting on a good show for our cats.
* The cage has 3 lines running out to keep it from swinging in the wind.
* The inner feeder and attached catch basin hang from a hook within the cage --from which I drop it out every morning for emptying and refilling. I always pour some fresh feed onto the floor of the basin, since about half of our birds (nearly all sparrows) are bottom feeders.
* Our feeder hangs from a branch on one of our "butterfly trees" --which are usually called "butterfly bushes", but it's clearly achieved tree stature now. One of these trees has blue blossom fronds. The one pictured here has delightful yellow blossoms. The genus is "Buddleia" and the state you live in might list it as an invasive weed.
