pine cone bird feeder

Bird feeders don’t have to be boring. Using some bright fall berries and sparkling pine cones will give the birds a treat, as well as create an eye-catching decoration for your garden. Make sure you hang the feeder near to a window so that you can watch the birds feeding.

You will need

• ✿ paintbrush
• ✿ gold or silver acrylic paint
• ✿ paint tray or plastic container
• ✿ 2–3 small pine cones
• ✿ garden twine or string, 24in (60cm) in length
• ✿ 1 large pine cone
• ✿ rowan berries (you could also use hawthornberries or rosehips)
• ✿ ½ cup (65g) birdseed
• ✿ ½ cup (65g) flour
• ✿ 1 cup (125g) oatmeal
• ✿ ½ cup (115g) white fat (lard), at room temperature
• ✿ mixing bowl
• ✿ apron

Step 1

Using your paintbrush, carefully apply the gold or silver paint to the scales of the smaller pine cones, and then leave them to dry.

Step 2

Tie one end of the string or twine around the center of the largest pine cone and then tie the small pine cones and sprays of rowan berries at intervals along its length, leaving at least 8in (20cm) clear at the end.

Step 3

Put the birdseed, flour, oatmeal, and white fat (lard) in the mixing bowl. Mix all the bird-food ingredients together using your hands. Although it is easier this way (and also more fun), wear an apron because you may get messy in the process.

Step 4

Push the mixture into the gaps in the large pine cone until it is as full as possible. When you have finished, ask a grown-up to hang your bird feeder in a tree or somewhere you can easily watch your feathered friends come and visit.

Try this... Once you start feeding garden birds, keep doing so, as they will come to rely on these snacks. If you want to make decorative feeders in the winter, you could collect a lot of berries and ask a grown-up to freeze them for you.