By Kate McCullom
One of my fondest childhood memories was going to my grandparent’s house. They lived in this beautiful, old-fashion farmhouse in Massachusetts with tons of land and wildlife all around. Now that they have sold the house, I treasure numerous childhood memories of time spent at my grandparent’s. Everything about their house was special to me from the steep stairs that I used to have to go down on my butt due to fear of falling, to my grandmother’s sewing room with thousands of different fabrics, to my grandpa’s workstation in the basement full of his creations. Their kitchen was my favorite, and it wasn’t because of my grandmother’s cooking. There was a huge window right next to the kitchen table, and right outside were numerous bird feeders made by my grandfather to attract the most beautiful birds. I remember sitting by that window for hours fascinated by the various birds that flew in for a snack. I saw all different types of birds, but of course the most exciting were the colorful ones, the robins and blue jays. Whenever a splash of color would streak past the window a flurry of excitement would go through the kitchen as we rushed to identify what kind of bird had arrived. I remember we had big bird watching books that we would bring to the kitchen table and feverishly flip through trying to identify a new bird. Soon I was able to identify all the birds that flew up to my grandparent’s window without help from the book. I learned the difference between the male and female birds as well. It was fascinating to see how all the different kinds of birds would stop by my grandparent’s bird feeders. Some would grab a bite and fly off, while others lingered longer and perched on a nearby tree. Even to this day, when I see a pretty bird, I think of my grandparent’s old house and all the wonderful memories I have of eating my grandmother’s pumpkin bread and birdwatching through the window.
Although I never made bird feeders with my grandparents, I did love the magic they brought to the window. Making bird feeders can be a fun and easy activity to do, allowing kids to really connect with nature. Not only is it a fun family craft, but it is also a great learning experience. An easy way to make a bird feeder is with a plastic water bottle. All you need to make the bird feeder is: a plastic water bottle, scissors, bird seed, twine, and two plastic spoons.
- Cut a small hole near the bottom of the bottle. Poke a spoon handle through and cut a small hole there so the handle can go through.
- Repeat step 1 higher up the bottle with the other spoon.
- Tie a piece of twine around the neck of the bottle so the bottle can be hung on a tree.
- Fill the bottle from the top with birdseed and hang it on a tree (hopefully by a window so you can see the birds!)
- The seeds will fall out into the spoons, so the birds eat.