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Use Bird Seed Trays for Clean Bird Feeding
Add them to a post, add them to a bird feeder pole, or hang them… seed trays greatly reduce ground mess and waste. Spilled seed can lead to other problems, like mold which is unhealthy for ground feeding birds, and may attract some unwanted visitors too. Over the years we’ve heard from many folks (especially in the city) who stop feeding birds altogether due to rats… yuck!Clean feeding is easy with bird seed trays or seed catchers. Using a no-waste seed mix or sunflower hearts also helps alleviate ground mess. They’re pure with no filers – which is what ends up on the ground anyway. Milo, red millet, cracked corn and oats don’t really serve birds well at all, they’ll toss it right out of the feeder on purpose!
Newer designs in recycled plastic make it possible to add the generous-size trays to a 4×4 post or standard garden
pole. The large area is inviting to some birds who may never have visited the feeder before. Adjustable Seed Hoops fit almost any type feeder out there, and come in 16-and 30-inch diameter. The smaller size is ideal for tube styles, while the large tray is best for hopper bird feeders.
Should you happen to be one of the “I don’t feed birds in summer” folks – just know that backyard feeders are hopping with activity now as most birds have nestlings to feed. The show of migratory birds passing through is colorful and quite dazzling to catch… so don’t give up the ship due to ground mess!
*Use seed trays to minimize waste
*Switch to cleaner seed mixes with no fillers
*Try No-Melt Suet Doughs for warm weather feeding
*Offer fruit & jelly for migratory birds- it leaves no waste
*Feed dried mealworms (boil and steep to soften) for a real treat! -
bird seed trays can add a new dimension in feeding
They’ve come a long way since the standard, puny metal or plastic tray. New designs like this Seed Hoop offer much more than a waste-free feeding area. For starters, they’re adjustable and attach to almost any feeder, regardless of its size. Combined with a huge 30-inch diameter, these bird seed trays catch any and all fallen seed, and so versatile, they can even be pole mounted below a feeder. Sturdy mesh makes them a snap to clean with the hose, light-weight, easy to handle, and no tools required.Also available in a smaller 16-inch diameter, they create a generous platform area that’s like having a second bird feeder. New visitors who’ve never used the feeder, especially during spring migrations, are likely to stop by and grace your yard! In the last few days we’ve been watching a stunning pair of red breasted grosbeaks chowing down on sunflower mix. They eat fallen seed on the tray, as well as from the feeder itself.
Although grosbeaks have
visited in past years, their appearance has always been brief. Maybe these large bird seed trays have enticed them to stick around longer this season? We sure hope so! -
big & sturdy bird seed trays for poles or posts
Messy ground waste below feeders… yuk! It’s not a pretty site, creates an unhealthy feeding environment and may even attract some unwanted guests. The mess even deters some folks from feeding the birds all together 🙁Couldn’t say how many calls we’ve received about feeders attracting rats to the yard… double yuk! Using a premium “no-waste” seed mix, or sunflower hearts may help to avoid the mess. It’s usually the stuff birds don’t want anyway that ends up o the ground (millet, milo and corn). Plus these fillers tend to attract some less desirable birds like crows, house sparrows and other predatory-type birds.
You can still feed the birds and avoid the ground waste using bird seed trays
that work. These models are recycled plastic and made for standard one-inch poles or a 4×4 wood posts. Just place one of these fine babies below your feeder and forget the mess. They may not look so large in the photo – but they are very generously sized! Measuring 23×21, these seed trays are proudly made in the US from plastic containers at landfills. Each comes with a label telling you how many containers were used to manufacture the tray. And that’s all well & good, but these recycled materials also come with lifetime guarantees against warping, cracking, splitting or rotting. Now that’s a beautiful thing!
Each seed catcher or bird seed tray has removable screens for easy cleaning. Another cool aspect of using trays like these is new visitors are likely to check it out. The large, flat area containing spilled seed creates a second feeding spot for birds who may never perch at your feeder. Save seed, save money, feed more birds!
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