Mothers Day Present

 I was really struggling with what to get my mum for mothers day last week. She had suggested something (some threads) but it seemed a bit flat so I decided to maker her something instead. 

We both enjoy having birds visit our gardens so I made up a couple of robin nest boxes for her - especially as last year she had one nesting where she stores all her garden pots and tools! I thought two would really increase her odds of getting one used. Made in my usual style with the reclaimed wood. Hopefully an animal will find these useful. 

I'm now tempted to make up some more nest boxes to put up around her, it was lovely seeing bluetits nest in the one I made last year on the side of my workshop. 

What type of nest box do you like to put up?

Meat Birds At 10 Weeks Old

Really hard to get a good picture of these birds but you can see the growth they've had in just ten weeks! 

I think I'll be processing a good amount of these at the weekend as they seem to have reached a good size now.

I think for now I'll just be dry plucking by hand as I have very little equipment to help me, unless anyone else has any advice? 

I have been looking at the pluckers you can add to the end of a drill and using a hot water bath before hand. And by hot water bath I mean camping stove and a saucepan...

Depending on how processing goes I can see no reason why I won't be doing more birds like this next year!

Sparrow Hawk

As I got back from work on Saturday, I slowly pulled into the drive to be confronted by a sparrow hawk ripping a pigeon to pieces. 

I sat about 10 yards away from him, with the engine running, and he didn't bat an eyelid. After about 5 minutes I decided to carry on driving in and he flew off.

When I went to look at the pigeon, who had most of his insides outside, I realised that the poor bugger was still alive through the whole thing! I put it out of it's misery straight away but I was surprised that it could stay alive whilst that was going on! 

I guess you wouldn't come home to this kind of thing living in the town.

Homemade Bird Apple Feeder

In the UK it was Mothers Day yesterday. It's always tricky to know what to get my mother and as my two girls are too young to get anything for my wife that responsibility falls to me as well. They're both good mothers though so I don't mind!

 I decided to make something that they would both like. An apple bird feeder as they both enjoy watching the birds at their bird tables.

 I started with some oak off cuts (from a job a few weeks ago, destined for the fire), I drew out the shape of an apple, and with my drawing skills this was no mean feat, then cut it out with the jig saw.

 This was quite hard going as oak is never the easiest wood to cut. I had to spend quite a bit of time sanding it up afterwards. I then cut the top to a nice angle, added a bottom so they birds had somewhere to land.

 I then drilled a hole either side for the bamboo skewer and a hole at the top for hanging it up.

 I then gave them a coat of oil and hung them up to dry.

Hopefully the birds will be able to enjoy some of our old apples and we'll be able to enjoy watching them!

Both mothers seemed please with the gifts. Anyone else made a mothers day gift this year?