Building a hawk platform: Cutting and painting

I decided to build a home for the wild hawks we have around where I live. I spotted a Coopers hawk hanging around the area and maybe I can attract it to make a home in a structure I am building. Its hard to say if it will work, maybe something else to make a home up there. But I hope a Hawk will due to the size of this structure. The purpose of attracting a hawk is to protect my fruit trees, I have blueberry bushes and cherry trees. My blueberries get picked clean if I am not outside as soon as they turn ripe. The local birds have found them and always come to pick the berries. My building a hawk platform near these trees, I hope to attract a predatory bird to live within proximity of the bushes and trees.

Designing the structure after one I saw online, though they are normally used in more rural areas than where I live. So I hope I can still have the success of attracting one. I built a kestrel house last year but have not seen any of them make homes in it. And I have a feeling I may not have kestrels around where I live. I confused what I thought one was for a chicken hawk.

Link to structure I am building
https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/hawk-platform-zm0z13jfzgou

Materials used:

4x 2x4x8 timber
Chicken wire
Staples and screws used to fasten

Cutting one of the 8' 2x4s in half which gave me 2 2x4s at 4' I cut 3' off another one of the 2x4s to give me support the front of the platform.

2 2x4x8s are left which will be used for supports attached to the tree, they will help hold up the structure. I will fasten them to the tree using timberlok screws.

Making a triangle with wood proved to be harder for me than planned. It I probably should have watched a video on how to cut handles with my miter saw. But I did not and just got to cutting.

Well I got the edges cut off a little better. But I think I missed the correct angles, its also possible my saw did rotate far enough to give me the cuts I needed. But I think I can still make all this work with alot of screws and staples.

My plan is to run 3" or bigger screws into predrilled holes, probably three for each junction. Using exterior screws is important so they do not rust away over the years. I will be fastening all the wood in the next post on this project.

Cutting a smaller piece to go towards the back of the platform was pretty easy. I measured the size I needed inside the triangle and then cut off the edges.

All of these pieces are just laying out as I piece it together. When I add the screws after painting It will all be tight.

Was planing on using a U-bolt but the one I bought is not long enough. So I will not be able to use it for this project, but I will save it for another project for the future.

The plan is to raise this platform up to the tree I will be screwing it to. Lift it over the top and place the trunk into the smaller triangle. Then I will use timberlok screws to fasten the platform to the tree. Will probably use at least two large screws, and then the 2 2x4s will be supports when installed to make it all level and strong.

Painting them took the longest. I had alot to paint and doing 3 coats can take a couple hours. But I just finished my third coat and I think they are ready

Exterior paint with primer build it in was used, I brushed it on and it will give alot of protection to the wood over the years.

After they dry I will piece it all together again, and use a small drill bit to make pilot holes. Then I will run large screws into the triangle structures. And add the chicken coop wire to give a surface for a nest to be built upon.

Glad this thing is going from just an idea on paper to something real, hoping a hawk likes it as much as I do.. haha

Next is to fasten everything with screws and staples, will show how I do that in the next post on this project.