But really May 25, 2020
Today I thought I tell you the story about my birdfeeders. Last year I was selected for the Downton Cuckoo Fair, an annual May Day fair in south Wiltshire. Julie asked me was there a particular garden related item that I might like to make for it. I realised I wanted to make bird feeders. Who doesn’t love standing at the back door or window in the morning watching the garden birds hopping and flying around?
A strong yet simple form is what I wanted to make, a shape that could be thrown on the wheel. I drew sketches; different proportions, tall and narrow, low and wide or basically square forms; curved and straight walled; with various window shapes and sizes, triangular, circular, square and rectangular. Drawing is a great way to quickly see if what’s in your head might work. The bird feeder needed to be easy to clean, hung in some way and allow rain water to drain away. After making and firing a few test versions, I learnt my original plan to have a removable base was not going to work. It was too awkward and annoying. Luckily one of the one sample pots I made had drainage holes in the base and that was perfect.
The bird feeder here is what I came up with; square in proportion, a curved triangular form, a base that slightly curves in to direct the rain water to the six drainage holes near the walls and three large circular windows for the birds to easily land and take off from. Since last year I am continually refining the details: the windows at first were cut by hand, now I use a hole-saw to give me a clean and tidy circle and the drainage holes have changed position slightly so they are hidden from view. I use old and broken phone charging cables or van wiring for hanging them. It adds a splash of colour and uses something that would otherwise be put in a hole in the ground. They are glazed with the different glazes in the pottery and paired with different coloured wire; shino with blue as seen here, copper red with gold, celadon with green or iron red with a yellow wire.
The birds in our garden love it. The robin, cheeky little thing that he can be, loves sitting and watching the garden between helping himself to food. The sparrows will wait their turn and even the blackbird has discovered it.
I love making them. It is still a bit of a challenge to get the curve of the wall just right without losing height but it is a challenge which I really enjoy.