Birds and other wildlife make sitting outside enjoyable, but birds need a place to perch. If you yard doesn't have any trees, then the space is less inviting to birds. If you have access to tree limbs, such as from a neighbor's yard, you can add the limbs to a post to mimic a real tree in your yard. Avoid branches that could be potentially toxic, such as oak, cherry or pine, or that have been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. For mounting the limb perches, 4-by-4-inch square posts, 4-inch-diameter round posts and 4-inch-diameter tree trunks work well.
Gather several straight tree limbs that are 1 inch in diameter and as straight as possible. Choose branches that range in length from 16 inches to 22 inches long so that you'll have 12- to 18-inch perches. Spray the branches with a hose to remove surface dirt, but leave the bark intact. Cut one end of the branch with a hacksaw so that the end is perfectly straight.
Lay the 8-foot-long post on a flat work surface, and make a mark 2 feet from the bottom to indicate the level at which to set the post in the ground. Make a second mark 3 feet up from the first mark to indicate the halfway mark of the post once set in the ground. The branch perches will go above this halfway mark.
Mark one side of the post every 3 inches from the top of the post down to the halfway mark.
Drill 1-inch-diameter holes completely through the fence post at each mark, using a power drill with a 1-inch drill bit.
Push a 1-inch diameter branch into the first hole so that the end of the branch is flush with opposite side of the post.
Pack any gaps between the branch and the hole with balsa wood shims. Push the shims in by hand, if possible, or gently tap the shims with a hammer. The branch should fit fairly tightly in the drilled hole, but shims make the fit even tighter without the need for glue, which could harm the birds.
Cut the end of the branch and shims that protrude through the back side of the post with a hacksaw, if applicable, so that the wood is flush with the post.
Insert a branch through every other hole in one side of the post. Insert branches through the remaining holes on the opposite side of the post, to stagger the perches along the post height. Pack shims alongside all the branches in the post's holes, and cut off any protruding wood, until you complete all the tree limb perches.
Dig a 5-inch-diameter post hole 2 feet deep with post-hole diggers. Set the post in the hole, and fill in the hole around the post with wet concrete mix. Hold a level against the side of the post and adjust the post until it is plumb. Screw scrap pieces of lumber into the post with 3-inch wood screws about 2 feet off the ground, extending the lumber diagonally to the ground to brace the post as the concrete sets. Remove the braces after about 24 hours.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- 4-inch-diameter post, 8 feet long
- Power drill
- 1-inch drill bit
- Balsa wood shims
- Post-hole diggers
- Concrete mix
- 2-by-4-inch scrap lumber
- 3-inch screws
- As an alternative to wood shims, you can pack the gaps with clay, but you must allow the clay to harden before trying to install the post in the ground.
- You can choose limbs that are curved or twisted, but the 4 inches that stick into the post must be as straight as possible.
- Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images