7 Foods Backyard Birds Love During the Winter

November 22, 2018 by 2 Comments

Today, I’m sharing a list of winter foods for backyard birds.  If you love helping mother nature during the winter months, we have a few tips on what our feathered friends will devour.  These winter food for backyard birds have been tested in my own backyard.  As a result, I can assure you that your feathered friends will not leave a morsel.  I have been bird watching for about 5 years now.  And, I’ve tried a variety of foods for my backyard birds.

 

winer food for backyard birds

 

 

Here’s a list of winter food for backyard birds:

 

Cracked Corn – First, cracked corn is a favorite at my feeders.  It is simply corn kernels that have been dried and cracked into smaller pieces.  Cracked corn provides protein and fiber for backyard birds.  However, there’s one drawback, black birds love cracked corn too and will devour your feeders if they find it.

 

 

 

Suet Cookies – So, you can purchase suet from your local butcher shop or grocery store.  Suet is fat from beef or pork.  Over the course of the year, I started saving my bacon grease to make bacon birdseed cookies.  It’s something I learned from my grandmother, and it’s one of the foods backyard birds love.  If you don’t want to use bacon grease, Crisco will do.

When I want to make suet cakes or cookies for the birds, I just add the bacon grease to a mix of no waste bird seed, black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, dried fruit and shelled chopped peanuts.   Additionally, here’s the recipe for my bacon bird seed cookies.  I guarantee that your backyard birds are going to love them!

 

Fruit – Next, birds love fruit.  Either fresh or dried fruit will do.  For the most part I use apples, whatever I can get cheaply.  I simply chop up one or two and add them to my birdseed mixture.  You can also add raisin or cranberries to the mixture.  I look these items at the Dollar Tree.  The also have dried apples and bananas.  Be sure to add one or two of my birdseed peanut butter pinecones to your feeding station too.

 

Apples

  • Cedar Waxwings
  • Evening Grosbeaks
  • Pine Grosbeaks
  • Blue Jays
  • Common Flickers
  • Chickadees
  • Red-headed Woodpeckers
  • Robins
  • Bobwhites
  • Mockingbirds
  • House finches

 

Oranges

  • Mockingbirds
  • Orioles
  • Red-Bellied Woodpeckers
  • Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks
  • Gray Catbirds
  • Scarlet tanagers

 

Grapes

  • Evening Grosbeaks
  • Robins
  • Brown Thrashers
  • Blue Jays
  • Cedar Waxwings
  • Magpies
  • Cardinals
  • Western Tanagers
  • Mockingbirds
  • Orioles
  • Towhees
  • House Finches
  • Steller’s Jays
  • Bluebirds
  • Woodpeckers

 

 


 

 

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds –  Additionally, Black Oil Sunflower seeds are a favorite at my feeders.  As a result, they go fast.  Cardinals, Blue Jays,  Woodpeckers, Titmouse and more love these seeds.  Make sure you have a large supply on hand.  As a matter of fact, I purchase black oil sunflower seeds in 20 pound bags.  I usually use at least 2 bags of this seed during the winter.

 

winer food for backyard birds

 


Safflower  Seeds –  Furthermore, I enjoy making my own birdseed mix.   So, I mix mostly Safflower Seeds and Black Oil Sunflower Seeds in my feeders along with cracked corn.  Fortunately, squirrels don’t like the Safflower Seed.  Apparently, they have a bitter taste.  However, they will eat the entire feeder of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds.  Although, Safflower is more expensive than the Black Oil Sunflowers Seeds, not having the squirrels devour my feeders makes it worth it to me.

 

foods backyard birds love

 

 

Peanut Butter – Yes, birds love peanut butter.  So, it is at the top of the list of foods backyard birds love.  Furthermore, it is a great source of fat for birds in the winter.  As a result, I spread on it pine cones along with seeds, dried fruit and chopped peanuts.  So, check out my peanut butter pine cones here.

 

 

foods backyard birds love

 

Peanuts –  Next, to keep cost down, I purchase unsalted peanuts in bulk for my Blue Jays.  I place them in my homemade peanut holder above.  In addition to the Blue Jays, Dark-Eyed Juncos and Woodpeckers love the peanuts too.  Unfortunately, I have to limit how much I set out for my backyard birds. The Blue Jays are greedy and will take every peanut in about hour.   I have 4 that come to the feeding station regularly.  Actually, I believe they cache a lot of them.  They hide them for days that I don’t set peanuts out or when other food supplies are low.  Update:  There are about 8 Blue Jays that come to the feeder now.

Finally, we hope that you will pick a few items from our list of foods that backyard birds love and help keep them full and warm this winter.  Also, share the activity with the kids.  It teaches them the importance of helping nature.  Fortunately, my grandchildren love seeing the birds at the feeder too.  It’s a great family activity.  They love making the birdseed cookies.  It’s a great rainy or snowy day activity.

 

 

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Bacon Bird Seed Cookies for Your Backyard Birds

November 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m going to share my recipe for bird seed cookies.  Winter is fast approaching, and backyard birds will be on the hunt for food. Feeding backyard birds during the winter has become a ritual for me.  Watching birds and providing for them has become a part of my gardening experience.  Especially, in winter months.  I’m also teaching my grandchildren to help mother nature provide for her flock as well. 

 

bird seed cookies

 

 

For the past few years, I have made bird seed cookies and peanut butter pine cones as treats.  This year, I decided to add suet bird seed cookies from bacon grease to the meal plan.  The birds love them, and it’s a great way to use the bacon fat from breakfast.  I only use the suet bird seed cookies cakes during the winter months.  If the temperature is too warm, they will melt and create a mess or become rancid.

 

Cookies for birds

 

 

So, if you want to make these tasty treats for your backyard birds, you will need the following ingredients:

Bird Seed Mixture – I have a combination of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, Safflower Seeds, Cracked Corn and peanut chips in this batch  However, you can use whatever mixture of seeds that you have on hand.

Bacon Grease – I save the bacon grease from breakfast for my suet, and I have also used grease from ground beef.  I strain the oil to ensure there are no particles of bacon or ground beef going into the can when I save it.  I simply want the fat from the bacon and ground beef.  You can also use fat from your local butcher store.

Flour –  1 cup of flour or more.  You can also use oats or grits.

Peanut Butter –   About 2 tablespoons of crunchy or creamy peanut butter to the mixture.  I use the store brand.

Variety of Cookie Cutters – Winter, Christmas or other shapes that you would like to use will be fine.

Drinking Straws – You will want to stick a straw through the mixture once you have the cookie cutters filled.  You will want to make a hole in the cookie so you can run a string or ribbon through it so you can hang it.  Or, you can just place the cookies in a suet cage or dish.

 

 

 

 

bird seed cookies

Suet Cookies for Birds

 

  1. Add the bacon/ground beef grease to the birdseed mixture, as well as the peanut butter and flour.
  2. Mix it until you get a consistency you like.  You can add more of any of the ingredients.
  3. Once you have a consistency you like, place the mixture in the cookies cutters.  My granddaughter had a great time filling the various cookies cutters.  Her favorite was the heart.
  4. Be sure to pack the cookie cutters full.  You want the bird seed cookies to be thick.

 

bird seed suet cookies

 

5. Once you have the cookie cutters filled, place the cookie cutters in your freezer or refrigerator for a few hours. You want the cookies to harden.
6.  You can remove the cookie cutters once the cookies are frozen or had enough,
7.  Use a spatula to remove the cookies from the cookie sheet.  Place the cookies in gallon freezer bags or a freezer container.  You can place them in your refrigerator.  They store perfectly.

 

Note:  I am an Amazon Associate.  If you click or purchase one of the products, I may be compensated a small fee.  However, there is no additional cost to you.

 

 

 

bird seed cookies

 

 

The birds will love them, I guarantee it.  Especially,  on cold, icy and or snowy days.  Oh, who am I kidding.  They devour them on warmer days too.  However, I recommend that you only use these bacon bird seed cookies in the colder months.  They will melt if it’s too warm.  The above picture is a Downy Woodpecker.  He visits everyday for breakfast or  lunch and hangs around for quite awhile.

 

 


 

 

 

Backyard Birdseed Cookies

 

The picture above is a House Wren.  They’re tiny birds that visit daily, usually in a flock.  They hang around for awhile feasting on the bacon cookies or head to the feeder.

This is a great project to make with your kids or grandkids.  Additionally, check out the cookie cutters at the dollar store, yard sales and flea markets for fun shapes to use.

 

 

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How to Attract Backyard Birds with Eggshells

April 5, 2018 by 5 Comments

Today I’m going to share how to attract backyard birds with eggshells.  Spring is the perfect time to share eggshells with our feathered friends.  Spring when backyard birds will be migrating to a new home. So, don’t throw out those eggshells. I crack eggs by the dozen when my family is visiting or when I’m visiting them. My grandson eats 2 – 3 daily either in an omelet or cheesy eggs. Wondering what cheesy eggs consists of? Eggs combined with sharp cheese, milk and a little salt and pepper. He devours them.  So, rather than throw the egg shells in the trash I look for ways to recycle them.

 

attract backyard birds with eggshells

 

Since I love feeding the birds, I decided to include eggshells in my backyard bird feeding regime.  I currently feed my backyard birds black oil sunflower seeds, saffron seed, peanut butter and suet.  But, you can attract backyard birds with eggshells too.  Furthermore, adding eggshells to the food regime is a good idea if you want to attract different birds.

Eggshells help supply female birds with calcium.  Laying eggs just like childbirth can be exhausting.   As a result, female birds are drained of calcium after laying their eggs.  The eggshells help to restore calcium. 

 

Attract Backyard Birds with Eggshells:

 

Birds that love eggshells are:

  • Bluebirds
  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Scarlet Tanagers
  • Tree Swallows
  • Barn Swallows
  • Eastern Kingbirds
  • Finches
  • Wood Warblers,
  • Gnatcatchers

 

I have Bluebirds, Baltimore Orioles, Barn Swallows, and Finches in my neighborhood.  So, I they will enjoy this special treat.

 

attract backyard birds with eggshells

 

 

 

If you want to add eggshells to your current bird seed regime or simply feed eggshells to your backyard birds, follow these instructions:

  1.  Thoroughly wash out the inside of the shells after you crack the egg.  Use warm water to remove any egg inside the shell.  (Store the shells until you have acquired enough to use).
  2. I also use eggshells in my vegetable garden, so I accumulate quite a few shells.  You can dry the shells on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet in my oven.  I use the lowest setting for about 10 – 15 minutes.  The eggshells should be brittle.
  3. Also, you can place the eggshells in the microwave for a few minutes if you don’t have a large number of shells.  Be sure to use a microwavable dish, and monitor them while drying.
  4. Once dried, crush the eggshells into small pieces.  You can place them into a gallon baggie and crush them with a rolling pin. Or, let the kids crush them.

 

Now that we have a supply of crushed eggshells, lets talk about how to attract the backyard birds.   You can  can attract backyard birds by simply  placing them on the ground in your yard.  I always enjoy watching the birds, so I place mind in a place where I can bird watch.  Also, you can use a shallow dish, place them on a log or in a platform feeder.  I have a platform feeder and I also have a bird feeding station that has a shallow dish.  Both are perfect for holding eggshells.  There has been times when I have left the shells uncrushed.  The birds have an easier time retrieving the shells if they’re crushed.  If you decide to crash them, don’t crash them so small that they are basically powder.

 

 

 

attrackt backyard birds with eggshells

 

 

Furthermore, you can add the add eggshells to suet in the winter too.  So, if you want to attract backyard birds with eggshells start cracking and drying them.  Your backyard birds will thank you.  You may also like Birdseed Peanut Butter Pinecones.

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How To Make Bird Seed Cookies

April 21, 2015 by

Winter is here and feathered friends will be hunting for food.  So, we want to share our recipe for DIY Bird Seed Cookies. Now is the time to assist mother nature in feeding your backyard.  My grandchildren and I spent the week-end making bird seed cookies.  The grandchildren had fun, and the birds think they’re delicious.  Check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds before you leave.

how to make birdseed cookies
Making birdseed cookies is a great activity to do with the children on a rainy or cold winter day.  It gets kids involved in nature, and provides an opportunity to discuss school, friends, or any other subject that your children are interested in.  Furthermore, the bird seed cookies are full of protein to help keep our backyard friends warm and their tummy full during the winter.
Once the cookies are made, it provides an opportunity for kids to bird watch.  Grab your binoculars and a camera, and let them start a scrap of the birds that visit.  It also provides an opportunity for them to do research on what birds they are seeing.
Having the kids select the cookie cutters for the project is fun.  Have each child pick out a favorite cookie cutter shape and than get to work.  Here’s what you will need:
    • 3/4 Cup flour
    • 1/2 Cup water
    • 1 Envelope unflavored gelatin
    • 3 TBS Karo corn syrup
    • 4 cups of wild birdseed
    • Mixing bowl
    • Wax paper or non-stick spray
    • Cookie Sheet
    • cookie cutters

 

bird seed cookies

 

This is recipe for DIY Bird Seed Cookies:

 

  • Place all of the ingredients in a bowl except the bird seed and mix until well combined.
  • Mix in the birdseed gradually.
  • Spray your cookie sheet with the non-stick spray or line with the wax paper.
  • Place the cookie cutters on the cookie sheet.
  • Pack each cookie cutter with the birdseed mixture.  (Pack the cookies tightly.  You want the cookies to be thick).

 

 

bird seed cookies

 

So, we used my spring cookie cutters, which include a birdhouse, bird, and the sun to create the treats.  However, use whatever you have on hand.  The kids will enjoy using whatever you have.  Nothing is off limit.  Once the cookies have been created, use a straw to make a hole at the top of each cookie.  Allow the treats to harden over night before you set them out for the birds.  You can place them in the freezer to help things along.  You can also store them in the freezer for future use.  Unfortunately, these cookies don’t do well in the summer.  The summer heat will make them moldy and they will fall apart easily.

Once the cookies have set, lace a piece of twine through the hole of each cookie so you can hang them. Place them on tree branches and bushes, and go bird watching.  My grandchildren think the cookies are cool, and enjoy watching the birds eat the treats through the windows.  Cold, snowy days with a warm fire make the best bird watching days.

 

backyard birds

 

So, be sure to make extra.  You can keep them in the freezer and use them to feed your backyard birds during the winter.  Don’t forget to make a few for friends who love to bird watch too.  They make great gifts.

You may also like:  How To Bring Backyard Birds To Your Feeder or Audubon Birds.  

 

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How to Attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers

October 19, 2014 by

Today, lets talk about how to attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers to your backyard.  It’s getting cold in my area, so I’ve started filling the feeders for my backyard birds.   During the winter months, I get comfortable in front of the fireplace and a window.  I always keep my camera handy.  You never know when the opportunity will arise for a great shot of  backyard birds.

In the summer, I don’t fill the feeders as often because most birds can fend for themselves.  Also, I grow sunflowers in the summer, so most of my backyard birds feast on the sunflower seeds in my garden.  I always thought it would take a few days for the birds to find the filled feeders.  Nope, it only took a few hours. My birds are always hungry and ready to feast.

 

 

Red Bellied Woodpeckers

 

So, I was jumping for joy when I first saw these beautiful woodpeckers.  Below is a male Red Bellied Woodpecker.  Isn’t he beautiful?  Are you wondering how I know it’s a male?  Males have a red crown and nape.  However, the female doesn’t wear the red crown.  She has a batch of red at the nape of her neck. The female is in the picture above.  Notice the red stripe on the female’s belly.  It’s difficult to see unless the bird is in a certain position, but is how it achieved its name.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers love pecking on trees, gutters and siding.  Apparently, the sound resonates and a potential mate will hear a male’s call. The Red-bellied Woodpecker’s habits are fascinating too.  They hide seed for later consumption in the crevices of trees.  This little guy is creating a cache in the picture below.  They also hunt for bugs in the crevices of trees.

 

Red Bellied Woodpeckers

 

 


 

How to Attract Red-Bellied Woodpeckers:

 

  1. Purchase or build a platform feeder.
  2. Add black oil sunflowers seeds, unsalted shelled peanuts, peanut pieces, fruit, and/or acorns to the feeder.
  3. Red Bellied Woodpeckers love peanut butter and cracked corn too.  I add peanut butter to pine cones during the winter.  Check out my post on Peanut Butter Pinecones for backyard birds.
  4. Hang suet feeders in the winter.  Check out my recipe for homemade suet cakes or purchase them.  The woodpeckers visit the feeder, but Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a passion for suet cakes.

 

how to attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers

 

So, if you want to attract the Red Bellied Woodpecker, suet cakes are the way to go.  I make my suet cakes, but I do purchase a variety of no melt suet cakes designated especially for woodpeckers.  You can purchase them from Amazon.   However, if you have time you can make your own using suet from your local grocery store.  I suggest only using this suet during the winter months.  They will go rancid in warm months.  I make mine from saved bacon grease or Crisco as well.  My family loves bacon, and the birds love it too.

Are you a bird watcher?  What are some of your favorite backyard birds?  Check out how to attract the American Gold Finch.

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How to Attract American Goldfinch

May 26, 2014 by

Today, I’m sharing backyard birding tips on how to attract American Goldfinch to your backyard.  The American Goldfinch is one of my favorite backyard birds.  The male’s bright yellow color will keep you in awe.  If that is not enough their flight pattern will fascinate you.  The American Goldfinch is supposed to be a sign of good luck.  They signify prosperity and abundance.  Furthermore, they represent the importance of being optimistic, happiness, joy, and simplicity.  Who wouldn’t want this type of positivity in their yard.

 

American goldfinch

 

 

So, I discovered the American Gold Finch while gardening.  I noticed them on my sunflowers having the biggest party.  They were devouring my sunflowers seeds.  They were so beautiful, I now plant sunflowers every summer for them to feast on.  Besides, sunflowers are also pretty to look at and are great for our pollinators as well.

Although the male American Goldfinch had mottled, turned a dull olive color, I noticed that they were still hanging around during the winter.  So, I needed to find a way to keep them in my yard during the cold winter months.  I was successful, so I thought I would share my tips with you.

 

How to Attract American Goldfinch:

 

  • American Goldfinch love seeds, so plant sunflowers, aster and thistle to attract them during the summer months.  They also love milkweed.
  • Offer sunflower seeds in your feeders.  I fill one feeder with Black Oil Sunflowers.  This is a picture of a mottled male American Goldfinch.  The male turns a dull yellow/olive color in late summer.  The female is similar to this dull yellow year round.

 

how to attract American Goldfinch

 

  • American Goldfinch will visit feeders too.  You can use a platform feeder, hopper or just a regular backyard bird tub feeder.  They aren’t afraid to sway in the wind.  (The feeder above is an old copper tube feeder that I’ve had for years.  They love it).  This feeder has 6 ports, which allows several birds to feed at once.  It’s one of my favorites.
  • These birds love Nyjer as much as they do sunflower seeds.  But, you will need a special tube feeder for the Nyjer.  The seeds are very tiny.  As a result, they need a small openings above a perch to retrieve the seed. They make tube feeders specifically for Nyjer.  This tiny seed is the most expensive bird seed that you can purchase, but it’s a great way to attract them to your feeder.

 

 

 

 

  • You can also purchase a nylon sock for the Nyjer.  They are less expensive than the Nyjer feeders, and my Goldfinch prefer the socks over the feeder.

 

I hope that you have enjoyed my tips on how to attract American Goldfinch to your backyard.  Finally, I hope that you will try one or two of my tips so you can enjoy these beauties too.  You won’t be disappointed.

 

 

 

 

 

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How Attract Tufted Titmouse

May 22, 2014 by

Today, let’s talk about how to attract the Tufted Titmouse to your backyard.    Meet my Tufted Titmouse.  I love these backyard birds.  They’re a beautiful gray and white with a little tuft on top of their head.  They are marked with a touch of orange on their sides.  They’re abundant in my backyard.   

 

 


Tufted Titmouse

 

So, I keep them coming back by providing them with lots of black oil sunflower seeds. They flock with Chickadees and nuthatches.  Furthermore, they are funny birds.  They don’t eat directly from the feeder.  No, they take their sunflower seed and crack it on a nearby branch.  After they consume the seed, they head back to the feeder.  I enjoy watching them cling to the smallest branches while they wait their turn at the feeder.  Tufted Titmouse will eat from the platform feeder as well as the tube feeders.

How to Attract Tufted Titmouse:

 

Tufted Titmouse

 

 

The Tufted Titmouse likes to nest in holes in trees or a vacated woodpecker nest although they will also use nesting boxes.  I have plenty of woodpeckers around, so they have lots of holes to nest in.  They are known to pluck hair from live animals or humans for their nest. They mate for life.  The male does most of the singing, but the female will sing a softer version at times.  I will continue to supply black oil sunflower seeds, as they are permanent backyard residents that I can enjoy year round. Their young are ready to leave the nest in 16 days.

 

 

attracting tufted tit-mouse

 

 

 


 

 

I’m currently having problems with Starlings devouring the sunflower seed in hours.  So, I’m in the process of purchasing a new feeder and Safflower Seeds.  I’m thinking about a feeder that is enclosed in a cage, so only small song birds will be able to enter and eat from it.  I will be filling the other tube feeders with black oil sunflower seeds and thistle for the finches.  I’ll still use my platform feeder for the cardinals, but I will be mixing in the sunflower seeds with safflower seeds as well.  Cardinals love Safflower Seeds, and they will eat from the platform feeder.  Squirrels and Starlings don’t like Safflower Seed. I’ll keep you posted on this change at the feeding station, and how it works out.

Check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds.  You may also like Suet Feeders For Backyard Birds

 

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Tips to Attract Baltimore Orioles

March 27, 2014 by
I decided to become more diligent in feeding the backyard birds through out the year.  Today, I’m sharing tips on attracting Baltimore Orioles. I’ve never seen an Oriole in my backyard, but I did a little research and it seem they like oranges and grape jelly.  They are Maryland’s state bird, and since I’m across the Maryland line, about 20 minutes, I’m thinking my chances of attracting them to my backyard are favorable.  

Attracting Baltimore Orioles should start in early spring if you live in the north.  April and May is the best time to start offering oranges and grape jelly in several places.  Since, I love home made items, so I decided to make a homemade feeder.  Oriole feeders are expensive, so making a few homemade feeders keeps the cost down.  I decided to make a simple one out of a metal hanger.  My thinking, if I’m unsuccessful I’m only out a hanger and an orange.  To make this feeder you will need the following items.

  • wire hanger
  • 1 orange
  • yellow or orange ribbon
  • *grape jelly (optional)

 


 

1. Bend your hanger until it looks like S.

2. Next, cut the end with a pair of wire cutters, and spread the 2 pieces apart.

3. You want to leave the hook, you will use it to hang the feeder.

4. Now, cut the orange into slices.  Cut a wedge out of each slice.  You will use this piece as a spacer.

5. Alternate an orange slice and than a spacer.

6. You can smear grape jelly on the orange slices too.

7.  Spread them apart as much as you can, so the bird can perch and enjoy the treat.

8. Try a few slice on the feeder to start.  You don’t want to waste the slices.

 

How to attract Baltimore Orioles

 

Last, tie on your ribbon and hang in a spot where you can bird watch.  Orioles love the color orange, use an orange ribbon.  Also, try placing the feeder where the bird can perch from another branch and reach the slices if you’re unable to get enough space between the slice.  You can rearrange them once you hang the feeder if necessary.  Refrigerate extra slices.  Most importantly, slices should be checked every 2 – 3 days and changed if they dry out or start becoming moldy.

So, I’ll keep you posted on my endeavor to attract the Baltimore Oriole to my backyard.  Last, check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds.

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How To Attract Blue Jays To Your Backyard

March 20, 2014 by

Blue Jays are large and beautiful birds.  I love attracting backyard birds, and I’m happy that I have been able to lure these beauties to my feeders.  I have four that visit my feeders regularly.  So, today I’m going to share with you how to attract Blue Jays to your backyard.  

 

 


Blue Jays



 

Next, Blue Jays start their courtship in February. The breeding season is from March to July.  Spring is around the corner, so I wanted to give you a few tips on how you can get them to a feeder in your backyard for a photo op.

 

A few facts about Blue Jays, they are large birds and stay with their partner for life.  So they understand the meaning of until death do us part.  They are loud and love to make their presence know with their “jaaaay” call early morning.  Wooded areas are preferred.  I have trees along my back property and the adjoining property has a roll of evergreens, so I have the perfect environment.  The average life span for a Blue Jay is 7 years.

 

Blue Jays

 

 

The secret to luring Blue Jays to a feeder in your backyard is peanuts:

  • Purchase a platform feeder as shown.  I ordered mine from Amazon and love it.
  • They also love shelled peanuts, but make sure they’re unsalted.  You can buy them in bulk at Costco or SAMs.
  • Add acorns, sunflower seeds and fruit to the feeder.  (I use old grapes).
  • Spread cracked corn and sunflower seeds on the ground under the feeder.
  • Plant an oak tree and you will have them for life.  (They love acorns).

 

 


 

 

 

Blue Jays
It’s difficult to tell the male from the female, they look identical.  These two show up together, or one shortly after the other.  Blue Jays rarely eat at the feeder.  They pick up their treat and eat elsewhere, but return often for more.  Their color is striking.  Blue is my favorite color, so I may be biased.

I don’t know if this is the male or female, but the other is around somewhere.  The peanuts keep them around all year.  So, I’m hoping to see little Blue Jays this summer since breeding season has started.

 

 

 

 

Last, bird watching is a great activity to do with children.  Turn bird watching into an educational lesson. Additionally, bird watching gives them an opportunity to become involved with nature and learn the habits of various backyard birds.  You may also like:  Backyard Birds: Red Bellied Woodpeckers

 

 

 

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Backyard Birds Love Bird Seed Pine Cones

March 14, 2014 by

There’s really no recipe, but I thought I would share how to make bird seed pine cones.  First, I started bird watching and feeding my backyard birds years ago.  It is a hobby that I have come to love, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  In order to keep birds in view, you must negotiate their stay.  I reached an agreement with them by making  bird seed pine cones.  The birds are loving them.  They literally pick the pine cones clean.  The bird seed pine cones are easy and fun to make with kids. 

 

 

 

bird seed pine cones

 

 

Next, pick a day to gather pine cones with the kids.  You can gather them from your neighbor’s yard, a park or your backyard. If neither of you have pine trees, locate an area where you can gather a few without trespassing.  A grove of pines will provide plenty.  I use a medium or large pinecone.  The larger the pine cone the more birdseed it will hold.

 

 

How to make Bird Seed Pine Cones

 

You will also need the following items:

  • Suet/Crisco  (You can purchase suet from you local grocery store.  I’ve purchased both beef and pork). Otherwise; purchase a small can of Crisco.
  • twine or yarn (You can purchase twine from the Dollar General)
  • birdseed  (You can purchase seed from the Dollar General)
  • a paper plate
  • plastic knife
  • plastic spoon

 

  • Melt the suet on low.  Allow it to harden enough to make it spreadable.  If you’re using Crisco, you can skip this step.
  • Tie a piece of twine around the bottom of the pine cone (the largest end).  You will use it to tie the pinecone on the tree branch or a hook.  So, leave the ends long enough to tie together.
  • Use your plastic knife to spread the Suet/Crisco over the pine cone.  Try to get the fat in the crevices and cover as much of the pine cone as you can.  (That can be messy if your kids are making the pine cones.  Spread out newspaper).
  • Pour the bird seed into a large bowl.  Roll the pine cone in the bird seed.  You can use the spoon to pack the bird seed onto the pine cone as well.

 

 

bird seed pine cones

 

 

Fortunately, this is a fun project for kids to create on rainy or snowy days.  Furthermore, they will love the craft more when they see the birds enjoying the treats.  See my bird seed peanut butter pine cones for visuals.  Once the pine cones are prepared, have fun watching our feathered friends gobble up the bird seed pine cones.  I guarantee you they will devour every seed.  Place them in a location where you and the kids can watch them enjoy the feast.  Consequently, you will be providing protein that birds need to keep them warm.

 Last, freeze the pine cones before placing them outside.  Place several in a gallon baggie and place in the freezer until you’re ready to use.  You will always have a few on hand when time is limited.   Check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds.

 

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