Willow Birdfeeder

A few years back we asked Hanna van Aelst to work on a design for a bird-feeder in woven willow. The result was this light teardrop shaped bird feeder which is perfect for feeding smaller birds. They can perch on the wicker and peck food from between the gaps in the basketry as well as from the bigger openings.

It can be filled with nuts and seeds in Summer when they have extra mouths to feed or with fat balls during winter to help them fatten up against the cold. Birdwatch Ireland has a handy fact sheet with advice on what and when to feed to keep. Hang near shrubs or shelter for small birds to retreat to in a quiet sheltered spot where birds aren’t scared away by noise or activity. You can feed birds all year round, it’s recommended.

*The bird feeders are very tricky to make. Because of this, Hanna has shared her design with another highly skilled weaver, Diane Carton of Saille Baskets in Co, Cork makes a small batch for us every other month, using her own harvested willow and style of weaving.

As each feeder is handmade, the bark colours of the willow will differ on each. 

Dimensions: 

Approx 15cm at widest point and about 30cm tall including hanging loop.

Diane has been a Basketmaker for over 20 years, she was first drawn to the many uses and environmental aspect of willow and its history in Ireland whilst studying Permaculture, and is a qualified teacher and design diploma holder.

Her love of the practical and beautiful has inspired her to create many types of baskets including many Irish Heritage baskets from the past as well as developing more contemporary pieces.

As well as developing her basketry business she teaches others this skill with workshops and is in collaboration with schools throughout Ireland to inspire others into the wonders of willow.

Willow is a yearly crop which Diane harvests herself, without the use of any chemicals or machinery, and all waste cuts can be composted and returned back to the E arth. The crop continues to grow every year with very little interference, and if left alone the willow beds would turn into a little woodland. Willow sequesters large volumes of carbon whilst growing, and is then cut, dried and woven into baskets to last for generations, so a Saille Basket could be considered a carbon offset purchase - good for the Earth, and for us all.

Willow varieties produce a wonderful range of natural colours and shapes and sizes of rods. The different varieties offer endless possibilities to produce beautiful work, making use of the colour from shades of green, brown, beige and warm umbers.