As mentioned in the previous post, we like the Birds Choice Magnet Mesh nut feeder a lot, but it has a significant flaw when it comes to our use of it here–namely our Steller’s and Scrub Jays learned that if they landed on the feeder with enough force, they could cause it to swing and thus empty lots of nuts out onto the ground. This meant they were able to completely empty the feeder within half an hour of it being filled and hung on the hook.
So we got a bit crafty. Using some spare screen material, we cut strips long enough to encircle the base of the feeders, and then using the vice grip and some bending blades, we curled the bottom edge to a 90 degree angle and folded the top edge over itself to prevent sharp edges. Then using some UV resistant cable ties, we attached the skirt to the base of the feeder, and just like that, we had little skirts to keep the nuts from being dumped out almost as quickly as they were poured in to the feeder.
This was our resident Steller’s Jay’s initial quizzical reaction.
Now I’m happy to report the feeder almost always has some nuts in it, even after a long weekend.