Wildish

This pod feeder branched off from an earlier felted project which involved making biodegradable winter shelters for birds. I had read about roosting boxes, but I didn’t have the tools or supplies to make them. I decided to work with processes and materials that I was familiar with to create a textile alternative to the wooden roosting box.

I wanted each shelter to be a cosy spot where small mammals or birds could safely wait out a harsh storm. So the first problem I had to deal with was keeping in warmth. I immediately thought of  wool, because  in cold weather nothing keeps you warm and dry as reliably as wool. So I started by creating a densely felted wool vessel or “pod” in a natural, light shade of fleece. It was spongy, warm, and still let in sunlight and air. The fibre also allow birds to cling to the inside comfortably and easily.

Next I had to find a way to protect the fibre from absorbing freezing rain and turning into a chunk of ice.  I solved this issue by gathering strips of birch bark to make a waterproof covering (prototype image above). I soaked the strips with hot water to make them pliable and then stitched the layers of bark together around the outside. I made sure the bark strips overlaped the piece below it and created a bit of an over hang so the rain would drip off the edges. The entrance was near the bottom of the pod so water could not enter it easily. In the end it looked a bit like a pine cone or wasps nest. Finally I gave the exterior a coating of wax and they were ready to go.

I hope they helped some little creature. I did notice a very fat squirrel pulling bits of felt out of one last spring. I think it may have used it to line it’s nest. I consider this an ongoing project/ experiment and plan on producing more of them next fall as well.

This pod feeder is very similar, it is just the inner lining of one of the nesting pods dipped in wax.  I just need to work on the best way to attach it to trees and it will be ready to reproduce, perhaps even sell in our etsy shop.  It is meant for small birds such as black cap chickadees. They visit the prototype all the time now, even when I am standing right next to it. It’s been a real hit!