For the Birds
If you like to watch birds in your backyard or on the stoop, offer them some incentive to hang about. Seed is always a good choice, but it you don’t like to weed the sprouted leave-behinds and if the occasional rest-stop boo boo bothers you, then you might want to consider a bird bath. Nothing attracts a bird like water.
This is a very simple way to create a hanging bird bath; I saw one recently in a catalog for $60, so this is way less expensive. And you probably already have all the bits you need to make it today.
Ingredients:
- a “flying disk” of some kind — it does not have to be that name brand, and as long as it has no punctures in it, you might as well use the trashed one from college
- twine
- a hook
Tools:
- scissors
- drill — to install the hook
Make it:
- Decide where you are going to hang the bird bath, and if needed install the hook. If you have a convenient tree limb, or other somewhat horizontal item from which to hang it, you might decide to skip this step entirely.
- Determine the approximate length of the twine to hang the bird bath. I used about four feet, as the post I used to hang it is about 10 feet above ground. I want the bath to be where I can easily see the birds and also easily take down the disk for cleaning.
- Cut off three lengths of twine and tie all three into a knot on one end. Repeat this on the other end.
- Hang the twine on the hook, insert the flying disk, and fill it with water. Little bird-sized turkish towels are optional.
