Metal Totem Bird Feeder

15 years ago

"Precious Son" has given me his camera! "Precious me" am learning to use it.

This is my experiment with making a metal totem. I wanted a cover for my garden hose pot. Birds gather in that area to drink from my porch fountain. I used brass, copper, and I am sure unknown metals to make a stacked Bird Feeder. The birds on the top are either solid stainless steel or puter. They are glued on as well. I use the birds as a handle to lift it off to access my hose. No worries about me spilling the seed. The birds seem to consume every bite, every day.

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Comments (16)

goldenpond
15 years ago
and a par-tridge in a brass totem!
I love it.
princess_mimi
15 years ago
absolutely fabulous!!!!!

~~Mimi
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leveta
15 years ago
How neat is that...
luna_llena_feliz
15 years ago
Great idea! What did you use to hold the metal pieces together?

And thank your son for the great gift. I look forward to seeing more of your creations!
tehuti
15 years ago
I'm impressed that looks GREAT! BTW how tall is it?

Funny how such little creatures can consume so much in so little time, huh?

Robert
katishooked
15 years ago
This is cool.
jeannespines
15 years ago
ahh, goldenpond, I thought you were singing:

"and a par-tridge in a brass brassiere!" Eh gads, that influence is from DH...something about being cold and a witch's........HEE HEE!

susiewantsroses... very inventine!...a great idea...did you use Silicone II glue for that also? (like the totem GJer's around here use on glass) I would like to make one...hate my loops & loops of garden hose! Thanks for sharing! Jeanne S. ...and you did good with the pics...one large and one "just right!" Keep on sending!
susiewantsroses
Original Author
15 years ago
Goldenpond,

You have been singing all week. Sounds like you are feeling the Christmas Spirit!!! Pray some my way.

Thanks for ya'lls kind comments.

luna,

I am ashamed to say that I let the "old woman", who has moved in here, go to Lowes and buy Plumbers goop (good with copper) and some other all purpose metal glue (and now 'she' cant remember). I think I ended up using the plumbers goop. The heaviest thing about the metal structure is the birds on top! They were bought at a resale shop and have been in my china cabinet for years doing nothing. Now they have a life serving seed to live birds. They are so much happier.

Robert,

The structure height, from the porch up, including the large hose pot, is 2 1/2 feet tall. Just to the left of the feeder is a circulating fountain for their water supply. I put shepard hooks of several different sizes around that side of the porch for perches. In the morning and early evening dozens of birds visit the porch.

The bottom is a copper tray, then a brass and copper flower pot, then a brass bowl, and finally a metal tray. The bottom tray fits perfectly over the plaster planter that holds my garden hose.

Some people do not like what happens with the metal patinas. I can tell you that when they are polished they are bright gold brass and bright copper. By next year they will probably have a blue-green patina.
concretenprimroses
15 years ago
What a wonderful idea. The birds are delightful, and I bet they are happier there!
kathy
Purplemoon
15 years ago
That is so neat......and I love the birds. They look like baby chickens to me.

You sure are on a roll with totem stuff, if its the FOLGERS then I am going to start drinking that myself. LOL

hugs, Karen
sunnyca_gw
15 years ago
Very interesting & functional!! The 2 birds are adorable!!! Nice mix of feed there too!!!Used to be that old coins had to shine like new, now they want them to have patina, kind of a purplish-gold glo, maybe that's politically correct!! I always thought if silver got too tarnished it started to deteriorate!! I like the look of your's & if you get tired of it you can sit out with Brasso & copper cleaner & clean away!!!LOL Jan
akup_a
15 years ago
Cool hosey hide-a-way! Love the idea of disguising those hoses. Cute little chickies having a feast.
Vickie
susiewantsroses
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you for all of your kind comments.

The birds on the top look silver but I believe them to be stainless steel or puter mix. I had paid $20. for them at a resale!! They never tarnish!!!

I have a can of brass/copper sealer spray that I could shine the other brass/copper pieces up and seal them. I Just cant decide.

Susie
jeannespines
15 years ago
Eh, gads, the old woman did take over & posted a dumb song lyric that she thought was funny! Sorry...OW...get back, get back...Halloween is gone...where's your Christmas spirit???

Anyway, susiewantsrosies, I love the metal totem as is... and would let it go ahead and patina itself...then, as sunnyca says, you can always go ahead and polish it up The whole thing just looks wonderful! Jeanne S.

Happy feeding...one of my baby chick pics!
{{gwi:200018}}
Marlene Kindred
15 years ago
How cool is this??!! Love the metal! And the metal birds are really great!
ggschmerl
15 years ago
Man, I love that. Way cool!

Mindy