Wednesday, April 24, 2013

MAKE AN EASY ORIOLE FEEDER

Once again, I was about to throw something in the trash and realized that I could make something useful out of it.  It's gotten to be an affliction and I might be starting to get a little worried about it! 
I love it when I see that first flash of orange that lets me know the orioles have arrivedTheir song is so beautiful and unique that I often hear them for a few days before they are brave enough to make an appearance.  For years I fed them orange halves that I just sat out on my deck rail because all of my hanging space is taken up by hummingbird feeders.  But....it was messy and the orange halves would draw ants or get blown off of the deck rail.  Then, my sister told me a secret.....
Orioles LOVE grape jelly!!!  I did not know that. Much cheaper than oranges.  I started putting grape jelly out for them and they did love it, but....same problem...either my dish got covered with ants or blown off or worse yet, if it rained, the jelly would flood out all over the deck and make it sticky.  I am happy to say that I have solved all of those problems and did it for FREE...using something I was about to throw away.
You can use any container that has a lid, mine just happened to be the little container that these mini pies came in.  (Thank goodness I'm too lazy, I mean busy, to bake a pie.)  
I primed it with some spray paint and then painted it orange because orioles are attracted to orange. 
I found another little plastic something to hold the jelly in the center, added some of those little decorative glass pebbles around it to weight it down when the wind blows.  Then I put water in the rocks as an ant barrier so they couldn't get to the jelly.  

I sat it out on the deck rail using the inverted lid kind of like a coaster under neath.  When it rains, all I have to do is put the lid over it.  

I left one black...just to see if it really made a difference to the orioles, but I'm guessing once they arrive and figure it out it won't.
They're due any day now and I'm ready for them.  Just waiting for that first flash of brilliant orange!
I think one of these and a jar of jelly would make a great inexpensive Mother's Day gift, don't you?

Linking up to any or all of these fine parties.....
   
 

31 comments:

  1. How clever! We don't have orioles here....that Ii have ever seen anyway. However we do have ants and rain so two out of three ain't bad....as they say.

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  2. I had to google an image of an Oriole ! They are lovely, no wonder you like to feed them and keep them close to you :-) Very clever idea, Danni!

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  3. I found your fabulous blog from the Fluster's Creative Muster Party! I am a new follower and I am excited to be here :) What a great post. I am trying to get my garden going to attract more wildlife. So far I just have robin's and bunny's! Krista @ A Handful of Everything

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  4. I did not know that!!! Oriole love grape jelly! We have lots of birds and always interested in attracting more. I will have to try that. Great idea ... thanks for sharing. Now to find the perfect container. I think I just threw one away. Hate putting "non-recyclable" plastic in the trash. Thanks for co-hosting with Fluster's Creative Muster Party.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

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  5. I don't know those birds ill have to google them. Very clever idea

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  6. What a clever idea, dear lady :) You always amaze me!
    Hugs to you!

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  7. I had to google orioles - wow they are gorgeous Danni - you are so lucky! You are just awesome! I wish I had your affliction - you see something that no-one else does!

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  8. I'm like you Danni, worried that I'm becoming obsessed about not throwing things away! Haha! I'm not I've ever seen any Orioles where we live. We do have a lot of big blue Stellar Jays though who might like something like this! Blessings to you, Patti

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  9. What a great idea!! I have a container like that and some orange spray paint in the basement! Guess what I am making this afternoon? Thanks!
    Liz

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  10. That is so neat, Danni! Being from the Baltimore area we love our Orioles.;) This is a great gift idea.

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  11. Another great idea! Practical and cheap and even quite pretty. Lovely dear Danni! And now i am going to google Orioles :-)
    big hug dear friend
    Jutta

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  12. I don't think that we have orioles! But I do love to make birdfeeders. I'm hankering for a hummingbird feeder this year! :)

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  13. I don't even know if we have orioles in this area. I shall have to check that out!. Geez, I hope that squirrels don't love grape jelly, too!

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  14. I love this idea!! I don't know what an oriole is...so we probably don't have them, but do other birds like grape jelly?

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  15. OREOS!!!! I LOVE OREOS!!! Oh wait...Orioles. A bird of a different feather. Okay, Now I have to go buy a pie so I can make one. PIE!!!! I LOVE PIE!!!!!

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  16. Danni, did you know that every single summer for 17 years, I have put out oranges, grape jam & nector in hopes of seeing my first oriole! I lived in Annapolis, MD for 10 years and never saw a single ONE! I am a crazy backyard bird lady...I have so many field guide books...I could bird watch all day. That is the one bird I have always wanted to see. I saw one high up in a tree, years ago, in Fenton, MI, but never one up close. I LOVE your Oriole bird feeder - you are so stinkin' clever!!! I may give this a try...maybe it will bring me good luck!!!

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  17. What a neat idea Danni! Just hopped over to your blog and see that you're from MO. The hubs and I were both born and raised in KC and hope to get back there within a few years!

    PS – My May giveaway will be for a new blog design by my personal designer! Stay tuned if you're interested! Our Journey

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  18. I am definitely going to do this. I have had the same problem as you but add squirrels and raccons to the mix. This might work if I put it where the other critters can't get to it. Love it!

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  19. Grape jelly! Who knew...besides for your sister of course. This is brilliant.

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  20. Love the orange and glad you didn't throw that away!! What a perfect little Mother's Day gift, I love it!! Do you think I could get orioles to visit Plainfield?

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  21. I would love this bird feeder for Mother's Day! What a great idea! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

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  22. seriously?
    you should have your own company ( or something )
    because these brain waves you have - using old cheese containers - pie containers - and God knows what else -
    ARE ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT
    Incredible Danni
    XXX

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  23. What a great idea! I love this!!~~Angela

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  24. ha! love it you are so smart! ~ Paula

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  25. We don't have any here that I know of, but I did see a flash of blue yesterday, which means the Blue Jays are out.

    Hey, I'm sensing baseball fever w/this post...Orioles...Blue Jays, ah never mind, we're Tigers fans this a'way and they don't fly. ;)

    The project is great, a good way to repurpose. :)

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  26. I had no idea... grape jelly + trash = amazing bird feeder. You make me want to dig through my trashcan LOL!

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  27. Grape jelly? Really? Wait until I show my Dad this project he's going to love it. He's always making bird feeders Very creative Danni!

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  28. This is a great, am in the process of making a feeder for this type of bird since I notised some Orioles this morning so time to proseed with my project

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  29. In CALIFORNIA... they love the jelly..... BUT sadly so does the bees :( I keep moving the feeder but the bees keep finding it. The bees maybe 8-10 or so kind of chase off the birds ... ANY SUGGESTIONS?

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  30. Cat birds also love grape jelly, they're larger gray with black eyes. Not as flashy as an Oriole

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