Gallery bird table

4.0769230769 out of 5

26

Sturdily made, and reasonably easy to assemble. BUT the tray does not remove. 😒. From other reviews, we gather that the tray slides out for cleaning via a rotating piece of wood. We have attempted to lever this with a flat screwdriver, and no way is that piece of wood going to rotate, despite the screws being positioned at the top. The wood with the logo is tightly wedged in and will not move. A pity, as I thought it such a good idea 🙄

I've always done well out of this garden. I could even shun up the metal pole of the old bird table until those wretched gardeners homeowners discovered a new use for olive oil. Now they have this horrid RSPB table. Oh, it looks very pretty, and the gardeners say it is so easy to clean the tray by swivelling one of the sides upwards. Not that I would know. I can't get near the table. First time I even went near it, the nasty resident blackbird went for my eyes. Vicious little beast. But when his back was turned, up I went..but I couldn't get past the green baffle. I had a few more tries, and was getting so frustrated. I backed off, had a run at it and after a few failed attempts I managed to get a paw onto the edge of the baffle. Huh, It tilted, and I was lucky not to end up on the lawn. I have been looking around to see if there is anything from which I can manage a flying leap onto the table, but those pesky gardeners aren't that stupid. It's an evil tricky garden, small and steeply terraced up to the back gate, and I once ran up a retaining wall only to fall straight into the pond on the same level as the top of the wall. , How humiliating. So what with the horrid squirrel-proof bird feeders and now this new bird table, I am absolutely incandescent with rage. I will try again, but, to be honest, I am not sure I'll succeed, Maybe I'll just have to bury more nuts and remember where they are. Bet the gardeners would be nice to me if I had stupid red fur.

I wish I'd read other people's reviews before buying this bird table. I'd looked at others which were already assembled in local garden centres. They were more expensive, I assumed this was because this one was self assembly.
Putting it together was not as easy as I'd hoped. Some of the pre drilled holes are not quite in the right place so my husband had to drill others and use different and extra screws.
The legs are quite sturdy but the table itself is a disappointment. You are supposed to be able to remove the plastic tray for cleaning by twist twisting up one of the sides. Its impossible on my table as this part, which was pre assembled is stuck solid and wont budge. The other side already has a crack in it so I'm not going to attempt to move it for fear of breaking it further. Fortunately the birds are unaware of these failings and flock to it anyway.

Purchased two of these bird tables as replacements for previous RSPB versions already installed.
Very impressed with design and quality, the plastic tray is now retained in the base by the roof supports and will no longer get blown away in high winds as previous RSPB table designs. Excellent Product.

Like the previous reviewer, I agree that the pre-drilled holes on the roof supports are over-large for the screws supplied. We overcame this by using 1.5 inch x 8 screws - the supplied screws are 1.25inch x 6. Also, there were splits in the timber legs. Using Evo Stick wood glue, we repaired the splits, tying them firmly until completely bonded. We also took the precaution of applying and working in the same glue over any knots in the timber.

The notches made for the screws are not deep enough: using the same size screw they are intended to take, 'start' the hole by tapping it in with a small hammer and giving a few turns which will overcome the problem.

One further tip, grease all the screws before inserting them; this will make insertion easier and make withdrawal, if needed at a later date, a simpler task.

I suggest coating the legs and feet (and/or the table stable if used) with bitumastic and letting it dry THOROUGHLY before the bird table is put into use (or after) which will extend its life considerably.

In conclusion, I praise the RSPB Sales Department for a truly remarkable despatch. I had ordered the Gothic Table but was advised it was out of stock. When I telephoned, the delightful lady told me she would send the Gallery Table (my chosen replacement) as soon as possible but it would not arrive the following day. It did! How wonderful was that?

The day following the table's placement in the garden, it was covered in birds enjoying their prepared feast. Endorsment indeed.

This is a sensibly priced table of good quality, of convenient size, with the bonus of a removable tray. WELL DONE RSPB.

RSPB response: Thank you for the good review, we hope you are getting lots of visitors to your new bird table.

The problems described in the last review apply to the table I've just bought - so if you did pass the comments on to your supplier they haven't paid much attention. I'd hoped a year later that someone would have managed to drill holes at the right angle, or failing that supply longer screws. I think for £55 I really should get one or the other.

RSPB response: Thank you for your review, I am sorry that you are unhappy with this product. It is likely you have received old stock before the changes have been implemented. Please contact our customer service team for a replacement.

The bird table seems to be basically pretty decent, but with a few minor reservations, which by and large are the same as other comments here, namely:

- Inaccurate positioning of indents to locate screws - these needed to be re-drilled in the correct location.

- Slightly vague instructions, which are best used as a guide rather than as hard and fast rules. One part of the assembly is not covered at all, though fortunately it isn't a crucial bit.

- Some of the screws are arguably a bit on the small side, especially when some of the holes they are meant to go in are a bit big! Replacing the screws with slightly bigger ones seems to have done the trick.

- One or two slightly splintered bits of wood.

Having said all that, it seems well made and solid, and certainly much better than others that I have looked at.

RSPB response: Thank you for your review, sorry that you did not find the instructions good enough and the screws too small we will pass on these comments to the supplier. Each bird table is made in the UK by craftsmen and are built to last, we hope you enjoy your bird table for many years to come.

Bird table well made,nice to look at and good value for money.

The legs and post are sturdy, the table and roof rather less so - I would advise anyone assembling their new table to substitute bigger, better quality screws for the ones supplied. However, the main problem is that the base is far too narrow for the height and weight, the legs do not spread widely enough from the post, making it rather unstable - basically, any time the wind blows, over it goes. Doesn't seem to matter where we site it, or in what orientation, and it doesn't need to be a particularly strong wind. And of course the impact when it hits the ground is on the table/roof assembly. The latest fall has smashed ours up, don't know if I'll be able to reassemble it using the original parts. Only solutions would be (1) big unsightly stabiliser bars across the feet, or (2) a heavy sandbag suspended from the bottom of the pole, or (3) bolt the feet to a paving slab; none of those is particularly appealing.

RSPB Response: Many thanks for your feedback, we have taken this on board and will consider it when reviewing this product. We do have a table stable available, to add extra stability in exposed areas, as it is very difficult to prevent a top-heavy bird table from occasionally blowing over, although in our experience we have improved on many designs in the wider market in this regard. We will, of course look in to how we can improve further though.

I spent a fair while deciding which table to buy, but I chose this one in the end, and I'm glad I did. It was delivered just two days after ordering.

It was very well packaged, and is quite a solid item, therefore quite heavy, it certainly won't blow away!.

Assembly was a breeze, but I have a fair bit of experience of this kind of work and I do have the tools necessary. I sorted out and separated all of the components and fasteners before starting, then methodically read the instructions a couple of times, and it all went together very well. It's very solid and attractive and I would recommend it to anyone.

Delivery was prompt - ordered 11/4/16, and delivered on 14/4/16.
The box it came in was scraped and dented in a few places, and there was no extra packaging inside, the table parts were loose inside. No damage to the product though.

Instructions were clear as crystal, although I'm no good at DIY and enlisted the help of my father who has experience and a stronger wrist. The wood itself was of fair quality.
A couple of niggles:
1) The little dents in the wood which guide where the screws are supposed to go were often hard to see and inaccurate - when used the result was rather wonky or off-center. It's best to use them as a rough guide instead of exact positioning.
2) On the roof piece, the holes where the screws go to secure the roof legs were drilled instead of indented like the rest. This meant the screws had trouble getting grip, were loose and didn't hold very well - we had to move the legs to the side of the holes a little to screw the legs securely.
3) Some of the main post legs were splintered on the edges, but this hasnt caused any problems, it's more a cosmetic thing.

No other problems, seems like a very good product for its price, besides those little niggles. I've just put it up in the garden and the birds are getting used to it. I bought this table as a replacement for a cheaper one (which was smaller and flimsier), which the birds love, so I'm sure they'll be very happy with this one.

I would recommend this product. It's of fair quality, feels very sturdy, and at a fair price. The sliding table is smart, and the edge that flips up to release it was marked with the RSPB logo, so no confusion there.
As I've only just got it, time will tell how long it will be able to last in the weather. Very positive so far.

This bird table is quite easy to assemble even if you are not good at diy. However, it was not clear how to pull out the tray and I thought we had made a mistake in the assembly. I only realised what to do after looking it up on-line. The wood is of very good quality compared to some on the market and construction very solid. Very pleased with purchase.

I bought this product after much deliberation just in December 2014. Apologies for just getting round to writing a review.
Generally a very well put together product with quality materials. There were instructions included but did not include how to attach the roof ridge. Also, the screw holes for the base area were not well placed, too high up the ""legs"", therefore the screws did not have much wood depth to screw into. I was glad I had read the other reviews, as I would not have known, and persevered in finding, how to remove the tray for washing. There was nothing in the instructions and was not obvious which side pivotted up, also very hard to get to move but achieved it in the end.

Overall, I am very pleased with the product and it has withstood the winds of the east coast so far.

RSPB response: Thank you for your review we are glad you are enjoying your new bird table. We appreciate your feedback about the instructions, your comments will be passed on.

ENDLESS ISSUES with this product - different size holes for same size screws; unclear instructions; warped wood so it couldn't be put together; the screws do not go flush against the wood as they go in at different angle to the legs etc so the ends stick out for things to easily catch on (plus it just doesn't look very professional); the guide holes make the wood splinter off and it looks very cheaply manufactured. Also, it does NOT withstand all weather - it blew over in the wind and broke within a week.

RSPB response:
Thank you for your review and we are very sorry to hear of your disappointment. As this is a very well received product it sounds as though you must have received a faulty unit. Please contact Customer Services who will be happy to help.

I though it was going to be rubbish when I build it but I was pleasingly surprised and it coops with the wind much better than I though

I purchased this table a couple of weeks ago, since it has been outside we have had horrendous high winds and I am pleased to say this table is very sturdy and has not moved at all which is excellent.

The birds are settling into their new table and seem happy with it, its nice and high so it will hopefully deter the cats I had previous problems with.

We have had lots of torrential rain lately and the seed has been kept perfectly dry for them aswell.

I would highly recommend this table, I wished I had bought mine sooner. It was worth every penny.

I bought this last week and I couldn't be more happy with the product. It's really sturdy though you must have an electric screwdriver to put it all together safely. I cannot stress this enough! After putting it all together which takes about 10 minutes with your handy electric screwdriver, no amount of wind (believe me - living in Scotland I know a harsh wind when I come across one) can even so much as wobble it. The birds love it, especially the resident robin and the cat loves to sit there watching everybody enjoy it. Worth every penny!

We didnt know what to expect for the money but this bird table is great quality. It is sturdy enough to stay upright in the strong winds and is well worth investing in. The birds love it too!

The assembly of this bird table is basically quite straightforward, and I found the instructions clear, but if you're a not-very-strong female (or male!) putting it together on your own, it's quite difficult to get some of the screws in properly. Even with the help of a cordless screwdriver, I struggled to get them fully screwed into place. But now that it's finally done, it seems very sturdy, and I like the removable tray, as cleaning my previous bird table was always a problem.

We had some very strong winds were we live, when most things were blown everywhere this table never even rocked!. Very strong and well balanced, and well made. (£50.00 a big price tag.! ) That's why I gave it 5 stars on value for money. ( Mine was a gift).
Its easy to clean and look after.

I agree entirely with your reviewer of August 2013 - 'feeder of birds',in that this is an excellent bird table, but for us too, there were no instructions or screws for fitting the roof ridge.We thought this a little strange,as the instructions were otherwise crystal clear. And the table is so impressively solid & stylish,
Could you rectify this one small drawback RSPB?

RSPB response - Thanks for your review. The roof of this bird table should come as a complete piece, so yours may possibly have been damaged in transit or just been a faulty one. If you would like to organise a replacement or refund please contact our Customer Services Team.

This seems fine and easy enough to assemble. The only problem with mine was the ridge of the roof was separate and there were no screws to attach it. We had some suitable already in the shed, so not a big problem. The instructions did not include attaching the ridge so presumably at one time it came with that part already assembled.

I bought this as it looked easy to clean. The tray does not slide out without removing the wooden tray screws. You are not going to do this every 1-2 times a week and it will become harder to do so when the bird table weathers. It is important to keep feeders clean to prevent the spread of disease between birds.

RSPB response - Thanks for your review. You don't need to undo the screws. The side of the table rotates up to allow the tray to slide out.

cracking bird table,so easy to put together.

looks good but it blows over in wind.

RSPB response- Thanks for your review. Sorry to hear you were not happy with the product. Please contact our customer services team if you'd like a replacement or refund

Just assembled one of these and put it outside. VERY impressed with the quality and the crystal-clear instructions. There's even a cm / mm scale to sort the screws out! Well done RSPB, this one's a winner.