Feed the birds, tuppence a bag....

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Feed the birds, tuppence a bag....
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Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 4:15 pm Post subject:
I need to find out where there is some walkable woodland nearbyish. We are kind of out of the way here, there aren't even many trees nearby (Which is why I don't have squirrels! Yay!) It's all farmland (and hedges) Kate

Duckhead

Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 4:16 pm Post subject:

Katieowl wrote:

sfolati wrote:

or you could let the hedges grow

But there's nothing edible in it? They don't even go in it.. they prefer the trees and hedge the other end.

Kate

Ours are full of bird food, they love it. brambles etc

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 4:17 pm Post subject:

I used to make suet cakes for winter feeding to woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees and suchlike birds:

Save fat that collects above homemade soup, from a pork or beef or chicken roast. Bacon fat is too salty for birds.

Store in a container in refrigerator. When you have a reasonable amount collected gently warm until liquid. Stir in peanut butter (birds seem to prefer chunky to smooth.) Add some uncooked oatmeal until mixture becomes thick and stiff. Add raisins if you are feeling generous.

Pack into paper cups and chill. To use, remove from refrigerator where the suet cakes are stored, peel away paper cup and hang outside in mesh from an onion bags.

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 4:37 pm Post subject:

sfolati wrote:

Katieowl wrote:

sfolati wrote:

or you could let the hedges grow

But there's nothing edible in it? They don't even go in it.. they prefer the trees and hedge the other end.

Kate

Ours are full of bird food, they love it. brambles etc

There are brambles about...down the road, but not in the garden. It was 'gardened' before we got hold of it, manicured lawn, roses

) If she wasn't dead, already Mrs H would die if she saw the lawn now! It's covered in raised beds.... We reclaimed a big chunk round the otherside from brambles and plum suckers... that's where the chickens are now and the two greenhouses. It's not a big garden (we don't have acres - not even one! we are a micro-holding LOL!)

There were no small birds at all here, until I started putting food out. We'd not seen a single one! Because I am feeding them in the hedge, they've got good cover from the buzzards and kites. I think it's quite a safe place for them. We had lots of breeding pairs here in the spring, who've come back with the babies

They have done sterling work in the raised beds this summer too..noticably less pests on the crops. Only thing they don't tackle are the giant slugs!

Kate

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 4:49 pm Post subject:

Jam Lady wrote:

I did make some last year, but they were a bit soft compared to the bought ones...

Just a note on the raisins...I noticed for the first time that the RSPCB had a warning on their fat blocks this year - at least I've not noticed one before, Warning people who put out the fruit (raisin) blocks to keep them away from pets as they may be harmful.

I know that dogs are not supposed to eat dried vine fruits or grapes as they can be toxic. It's like the chocolate thing, and dependant on body weight etc. But as I mentioned somewhere my two dogs are VERY interested in the fat blocks... so I make sure they are well out of reach.

Apparently whatever it is grapes that is toxic to dogs extends to wine...and I have the devils own job keeping Mattie's nose out of my wineglass. She is a little dipso...she even sits and gives you paw!!! Quite pathetic!

Kate

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 5:20 pm Post subject:

Rendered chicken fat is softer that beef or pork. Fat scooped off soup stock or roasting pan juices is still somewhat softer than starting off with fresh fat. Kidney fat is the best, when you can find it - white, sweet smelling, somewhat crumbly.

Coarsely chop fat, put in pan of water in a slow oven and let it "cook" until melted. Fat floats in water and will rise to the top. Then chill. Discard liquid and any bits floating in it. Now have a solid cake of clean fat that is excellent for roasting potatoes, making mincemeat, or, oh yes, feeding to wild birds.

Good point about not letting dogs eat grapes or raisins. Birds do appreciate both.

The oatmeal and peanut butter help stiffen the home-made suet cake and especially the peanut butter is very nutritious for the birds.

shopgirlsue

Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 197
Location: Nr Shaftesbury

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 5:38 pm Post subject:
I buy from this lot https://wildbirdfood.uk.com/acatalog/Seed_Mixtures.html - the economy seed mix goes down well and I also get peanuts from them. Not sure how cheap they work out but they deliver the next day and are very efficient. The blackbirds, fieldfare and redwings like my crab apple tree - it keeps them fed all winter - so maybe you can find room for one in the garden

shopgirlsue

Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 197
Location: Nr Shaftesbury

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 5:42 pm Post subject:
Oh just remembered the goldfinches like the evening primrose seeds in my garden so maybe you could grow a few of those and let them set seed

oliveoyl

Joined: 18 Sep 2008
Posts: 425

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 10 11:45 pm Post subject:
Apples, pears if you have any spare/foraged crab apples... depending on variety will keep through winter. Pumpkin/squash seeds. How about breeding your own meal worms

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 10 8:34 am Post subject:

oliveoyl wrote:

How about breeding your own meal worms

OMG that's a challenge I'm not sure I could rise to...I can't even bring myself to buy them in packets!

Kate

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 10 9:36 am Post subject:
I buy all of mine by the sack full from my local ag merchant. Wild bird mix, black sunflower seed, peanuts & a few kilos of nyger seed for the goldfinches. I also make bird cake with lard from the butcher. Just fill a container with seed & pour over melted lard. If you pack it with seed the lard goes a long way, just fills the gaps.

darkbrowneggs

Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 663
Location: Worcestershire

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 10 11:14 am Post subject:

Hi - I buy sunflower hearts, and everything seems to love them, apart from the goldfinches and they get niger seed https://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Guizotia%20abyssinica

I generally mooch around online for the cheapest price - it seems to vary from year to year.

These ones grow their own
https://www.streetendfeeds.co.uk/index.asp
So not so many travel miles.

I have tried freezing things like redcurrants etc, but they don't seem to eat them so I don't bother now.

If you are planting blackbirds love the rowan at this time of year and its an easy quick one to grow, and if you can pick up some thick bits of decaying wood and put them somewhere in the garden the wood peckers will find any insects in them.

Lawrence hill says to hang lumps of any fat from string in your fruit trees to encourage the tits to find any fruit tree pests. They form a queue for pecking rights, and the ones waiting in line search for insects to fill in the time.

All the best
Sue

County4x4

Joined: 18 Dec 2008
Posts: 80
Location: Carnforth, Lancashire

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 10 5:20 pm Post subject:

Another vote for

https://wildbirdfood.uk.com/acatalog/Seed_Mixtures.html

We've been buying from them for a few years now, and found them to be pretty competitive on price, and extremely efficient. Orders placed with them have arrived next morning without fail, and the delivery costs are included in the prices - nothing extra to pay, so you don't get stung at the checkout stage.

They also have a good variety of stuff - and the birds can't get enough judging by the rate they go through it!

I think an important thing is to remember that once you start feeding - a lot of birds will come to rely on you - so don't give up on it half way through the winter.

Andy

Vanessa

Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 8324

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 10 4:28 pm Post subject:
I tend to stick with sunflower seeds, bought in bulk. Most of the birds will chuck other stuff out in favour of the sunflower seeds in a mix, so I've given up with mixes!

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 10 5:07 pm Post subject:

Hmm... I was wondering if a no mess food would be a good idea. I have some cute but unwanted four legged, long tailed visitors foraging under the bird food ATM. OH was having a man-flap, so I moved the food over onto the patio, then we had cute but unwanted visitors on the patio which was infinitely worse!

I've now moved the seed back into the hedge this morning, and I don't want to stop feeding birds NOW as it's getting cold. I'm going to stick to fat balls/blocks for a couple of weeks, and make sure we don't get too much waste falling under the feeders.

Anyone else get around this problem?? (and don't suggest poison or death by any means! LOL)

Kate

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