Here’s One for the Birds: Wine Box Bird Feeder Crafted By Pinot-Drinking Conservationist from Georgia

Ruddy O’Boyle, from Hoschton, Georgia is an absolute fan of Windsor Vineyards.

Ruddy's Windsor Vineyards wine box bird feeder

He’s also got a resourceful and creative streak that we appreciate, one that kicked in when a neighbor of his recently gifted him a 3-bottle collection of Windsor Vineyards wines. These special wines arrived at Ruddy’s encased in a beautiful wooden box crafted out of birch and pine. To him this box was a stunning work of craftsmanship and he wanted to do something to extend its life. So he made a bird feeder which is now providing food, habitat and enjoyment for birds in his area. Ruddy sent us a very thoughtful note, directions for building the bird feeder and a few pictures of the finished product.

Before doing so however we’d like to thank Ruddy for his great example of recycling and repurposing. In addition we extend our gratitude to M. Calosso & Son, a family-operated business out of Stockton, California who provides us with these gorgeous boxes. We’ve been working with them for years due to their great service and quality products.

Instructions

Front view

This from Ruddy, who  “…got the idea to recycle the box as a feeder because it was just too lovely to landfill.”

Step One: With good company, enjoy Windsor Vineyards Pinot Noir delivered in a hand-crafted wooden box.

Step Two: Purchase a 4′x6″x1/4″ foot poplar plank and put one piece on the bottom and one across the top with screws and glue on the bottom and just screws on the top.

Step Three: Add the railing with brads and glue to keep the seeds from the side of the feeder from falling on the ground.

Step Four: Cut a slot out of the top in order to fill the feeder with seeds and pull the cover up to clean the feeder.

Rear view

Step Five: Reclaim the bird perches from a cheap plastic feeder that came apart after just 6 months of service. Attach them to the feeder by drilling a 1 1/4″ hole and a smaller 1/4″ hole below for the perch. They are attached from the inside with a screw into the plastic.

Step Six: Seal the box with teak oil to protect it from the weather and to keep the seeds dry. Leave the cover of the box with the “Windsor Vineyard” loose in order to clean the feeder easily. When full of seeds the cover is pushed against the slot. You know the feeder is empty when the cover starts to loosen.

Step Seven: Attach the feeder to a hanger with a length of chain. For added support hang on a strong post for better support. Full of seeds it weighs over 15 pounds. It will be interesting to see how well it weathers.

Step Eight: use teak oil to bring out the natural color of the box. In Ruddy’s words: “It really is a pretty box. Putting the ‘Windsor Vineyards’ on the front facing our house just reminds me of the lovely Pinot Noir that my wife and I shared one day while dining with our daughter who came to visit. We have finches in our area and when they return later this spring, I will try to get a photo of them gathering at the feeder and send it to you.”

Thanks Ruddy and good work! We look forward to your next round of pictures. Keep drinking that Pinot!

Cheers,

The Team at Windsor Vineyards