Mid-Atlantic Gardening: The Birds of Winter in the mid-Atlantic, 1 by coleup

coleup wrote:
Weight of seeds and birds will stretch out window screen pretty quickly and then all seed collects in the middle. Of course it can be repaired or replaced. The old screens I have used I put a band of reinforced packing tape all across both sides, like wrapping a package with ribbon. The advantage to the platform feeders Muddy likes (Duracraft) is that they are rigid, much like the metal screen in your new yellow metal feeder.

When I emergency feed birds, I have used trash can or recyle bin lids and huge baking pans (cafeteria size) to set out on the snow, thinking birds will be drawn to a non snow covered area. I also clear top of picnic table and put piles of seeds there as well as the benches. Allows more than one bird or type of bird to feed at a time. My table is situated right next to several small trees so birds have a place to land and escape to if needed. If I put out the seed early in the day, most of it will be consumed by birds before the squirrels wise up. Since bird activity attacts more birds I also put out seed in other spots not too far from the main attraction.

Snow Bunting pic