101 Things to Do with a Bucket: How to make a super-sized fat feeder

It wouldn’t be a British bank holiday without a good bit of British weather – showers, low temperatures, cloud, more showers, ooh – 5 minutes of sunshine,  then drizzle, and perhaps a bit of heavy rain. So rather than a stomp around the outdoors, it looks like this joyful Easter bank holiday will be a largely indoor affair. Why not keep yourself entertained by making this super-sized fat feeder?

You will need:

1 x yellow RSPB bucket

¾  x bucketful of melted suet or lard

Mixture of seeds, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Small length of strong string or rope

 Step 1: Take your yellow bucket and careful poke a tiny hole in the bottom. Thread through the rope to make and secure with a knot.

Step 2: Fill bucket with mixture of seeds, nuts, dried fruit etc. And pour over with melted suet or lard. Leave to cool.

Step 3: Dash out to garden in 5-minute slot of Bank Holiday sunshine. Attach the bucket with rope to a sturdy branch. Behold – the wonder! The bucket handle will make a nifty perch for the birds to sit on. Cometh the chaffinch, the blue tit, the robin and starling!

Disclaimer:  the RSPB accepts no responsibility for odd looks that you neighbour might give you if you festoon your whole back garden with buckets.  

For more tips on feeding garden birds, check out our RSPB advice pages.

You can also use your bucket to take part in our Love Nature Week fundraising collections. Love Nature Week takes place from 26 May to 3 June 2012. Find out more here: www.rspb.org.uk/bucketcollections

Got an idea for what to do with a bucket? I'd love to hear it! Tweet #101buckets