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RACHEL’S RECIPES

Posted on December 13th, 2011 in Uncategorized by Trish

Hi everyone!
I have great plans for a baking session for the birds – just trying to find the time!

Hopefully it will be this weekend, my daughter wants to join in with the fun too. I thought it would make a nice change from buying the ready made fat products available.

everything is ready and waiting -

  • lard from the supermarket,

  • a good quality bird seed mix and the exciting bit..

  • .lots of different things to make exciting toppings just to let the birds know it’s Christmas!!

I’m using old coconut shells, scrubbed out and dried after the birds have eaten the original fillings. These will be ideal to pack with the melted suet and seed mixture and the string to hang them is still intact. A generous sprinkle of dried mealworms, suet treats, chopped sultanas and papaya will make them look festive as well as delicious! Perhpas I should get some cranberries too?

To make block shapes I’ll use a baking tray lined with cling film, so that I can cut it into squares to fit my holder after it’s been in the fridge overnight. AND I’m wondering if I’ll have the time or the courage to attempt some very special fat snowballs…the plan is to make a seed and suet ball then roll it in peanut granules…how pretty on the tree!!! How tempting for the birds!!!
Wish me luck!!

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This is great.  So many plans and ideas.  Many, Many tanks for replying to my plea for winter recipes for birds.  Sounds like you are going to have fun and the wild birds are going to have a feast.  Have a wonderful Christmas and I’ll be having a go as well

Trisha

Have you any winter bird feeding recipes?

Posted on December 11th, 2011 in Uncategorized by Trish

Any winter bird feeding recipes are welcome.

I’m sure there must be many different ways we all feed birds, not just  by putting bird seed out. 

Here’s one I received in January

Hi Trish and everybody,

 my cake is

  •  lard,
  • ground sunflower
  •  and peanuts, also whole ones
  • all put together with currants and sultanas,

They go down a treat,

I had 9 long tail tits here today,
Not seen thrushes around, am worried,,mum used to come into workshop in breeding season, but offspring not so keen,,

Keep up the feeding everyone, we will get them through,,

Have 5 or 6 blue tits roosting in a nest box they have used twice to breed in,, dont know if the same family have moved in,,R

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NEVER USE VEGETABLE OIL TO MAKE A BIRD CAKE. ALWAYS USE FAT/ LARD OR DRIPPING

R is right IF WE KEEP UP THE BIRD FEEDING WE WILL HELP GET THE BIRDS THROUGH THE WINTER

Look forward to receiving some new bird feeding ideas

Trisha

 

Human Muesli for Birds?

Posted on December 11th, 2011 in Bird Food by Trish
Shirley says ‘am thinking that human muesli could be quite good’ 
This is in reply to the post below about recipes for a tasty meal for birds
I think Shirley is right.  Blackbirds and thrushes especially will love it.
Have you any winter bird feeding recipies?   It would be great to hear if you have, as winter is drawing near and bird feeding is becoming more important

A STRIP OF WOOD ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FEEDER

Posted on December 8th, 2011 in Bird Feeding Problems by Trish

I too had a problem with larger birds on the bird feeder so hubby nailed a stip of wood on either side of the feeder to restrict access & we now seem to have lots more smaller birds enjoying it ,,,,

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Dee thanks for replying to Jo.  I hope it helps.   It is a brilliant idea

Is your feeder a hanging feeder or a bird table?  I suppose it would work with both.

I’ve seen rooks and crows balance on a hanging bird feeder and put their long beaks into the feeder holes.  I had to stop using the hanging feeders because of it.   Putting wood near it would stop their line of flight and their ability to balance on the feeder.  The same idea would work on a bird table.

Thank you for this – it is yet another way to keep rooks, crows, and pigeons away.

Trisha

CANNOT KEEP PIGEONS AWAY!

Posted on December 8th, 2011 in Bird Feeding Problems by Trish

I  get very frustrated with the greedy pigeons, and also spend alot of time chasing them away. I have counted 9 on many occasions!!!! They are insatiable and I begrudge paying the money for all the lovely different types of food!

Ive only really become interested this past year but have always had a bird table. The squirrels aren’t a problem as they only take the nuts and I even put shelled nuts out for them. I love watching them break open walnuts but it is messy cleaning up all the shells!

I used to get lots of bluetits but haven’t seen any for ages, (maybe its all the pigeons). I get robins and a pair of sparrows! It’s the sparrows I’m desperately trying to serve as they seem to only feed on the ground. I put an old hanging table with a roof on the ground with lots of plants round for protection and the sparrows love it and come back and forth constantly but the pigeons found it and dont give up until its empty….and the mess they are making of my garden whilst fighting each other is driving me mad!

I read lots of your comments and adapted the table by criss crossing garden canes and fastening them to the table….. The damn pigeons can still get their heads in…..I went out last week and bought a caged ground feeder, my son cut the bottom off a big plastic plant pot for a roof to keep the food dry…… and guess what…..the pigeons can get their heads in…..do I just give up to keep my sanity and my bank balance or try to come up with another solution???? Aaaaaggggghhhhh I’m starting to hate pigeons!!!!!

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Bird feeding is supposed to be a relaxing way to be close to nature, but we all know that isn’t the case.  Bird feeding can drive you mad sometimes.

Sparrows do feed from hanging feeders.  I’ve never seen a pigeon balancing on a hanging feeder.  Maybe a hanging feeder could be the answer to one of your problems.

Sorry the pigeons are causing such a problem.  I have now put some canes into the soil,  in a small circle.  I’ve put some wire with large holes round the canes.  The smaller birds can get in but the larger birds can’t.  Blackbirds can get in – which is good.  A lot of smaller birds perch on the hedge and fly into this strange feeder from the top.  I will take a photo and put it on birdtablenews.

Trisha

URGENT ADVICE NEEDED ON HOW TO GET BIRDS INTO J’s GARDEN

Posted on December 1st, 2011 in Bird Feeding Problems by Trish

hi can anyone help, i am a lover of birds and i am trying to attract birds to my garden. i have patio`s and a large wooden gazebo in the corner, i have no hedges or trees in and around my garden. i do have potted pires bushes.

i put a wooden birdtable, and many feeders around the garden. i put out many different seeds,
sunflower seeds,
mealworms,
nuts etc.
but still no small birds,
i get wood pigeon, rooks but they just eat all the food. So recently on my birdtable i put green plastic mesh all around to stop the bigger birds, then cut many little holes in the plastic mesh for small birds. I did this in september 2011, it is now november 29th and still no little birds.please can anyone help,

I know people will say you need bushes or trees for cover,but is their anything else i can try?

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It’s great you are trying to bring birds into your garden.  I remember
when I started putting bird food out, I put a few crumbs on one bird
table.  I now have bird feeders all over the place, but I do live in
the countryside and they come in from fields.

Do you live in a town?  I wonder if there just aren’t any birds in your
area.  Can you see any garden birds or hear them singing.

I do see birds in towns and cities, but they are usually in parks or
where there is greenery, but then again I have seen a bird feeder in a
car part in a town centre.  You have certainly put out a lot of
different bird food and this should attract at least one bird. 

First of all can I ask if you do live in a town or city and if you can
see or hear any birds near where you live

Please don’t give up.  It is getting to the worse weather now and birds
do die from starvation and they can also freeze to death.

Also, do you clean the bird food up every day or do you leave it for
days

So here are the 3 questions

1 .Do you clean the bird food up every day and put fresh food out every
day or is the same bird food left out for days.

2 do you live in a town or city

3. Can you see or hear any birds near to where you live?

Please reply and we will solve this puzzle together.  Anyone reading this?  Lets put our heads together over the internet and help.

Trisha

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