I'm going to ease myself into the Grow Our Own blog writing again with a little post on keeping our feathered friends happy, healthy and fat in these cold and dreary winter days. We all love it when birds come a visit our gardens - little feisty fellows looking for scraps to take back to their nests and munch away on. My all time favourites (apart from the Robin!) are the teeny tiny Wrens - oh they are small but mighty and so bouncy :)
Anywho, I am waffling.
On Saturday I was at the RSPB NI Headquarters as a stall holder for their first ever Winter Craft Fair, you can read about it here. In a wee quiet period I ran over to the stand showing how to make Bird Cakes but the volunteers had (quite understandably) gone on a wee much need warming drink break. So I only got to take photos of the ingredients they were using and yes, they are Cheerios - who knew??.....
But clever girl that I am I logged on to the RSPB website (which is fab) and have gotten you a recipe to make sense of the whole thing> here. Oh my the birds in this pictorial guide are so happy it just makes you want to make some right now!
Funny, Andrew bought a load of fat balls a week ago so we have them out at the moment anyway, but this would be a fun and messy way to entertain kids or indeed yourself on a blustery day.
Andrew also bought a gorgeous feeder 'Egg' at the fair which you just fill with bird seed and the birds have been all over it today (apart from when I took this photo - I scared them and hadn't the patience to wait for them to come back). Plus it is so gorgeous, a little piece of sculpture in the garden that also has a use :) It's made by a company called The Nuttery and you can get them online, all different colours, I think they're lovely. Being weather resistant porcelain, aluminium and stainless steel they can stay outside all year round and can be thoroughly cleaned too = happy me.
Oh, have I shown you a little of the garden! eek, you excited, you want to see more??...come back in a couple of days ;)
For now take joy and fuzzy warmth from this.... Yes, Maggie (she's still my 'wonder dog') !!!
LOVE AND HUGS x
We have a full time job keeping our garden birds happy.
ReplyDeleteMaggie's got a mysterious James Bond look on her face. It's in the eyes ...
ReplyDeleteBird feeding is one of my favorite things to do. I have three different feeders in different locations. I generally get lots of cardinals, finches, chickadees and golden and common finches. Although, this year I've had fewer finches.
ReplyDeleteWhen weather permits, I love sitting outside and watching the birds eat. Aggie, my cat, enjoys it too, except that my porch is screened in and she can't get to the birds:~)
I loved the picture of Maggie. Her eyes look so cool!
Oooh, that feeder egg is very sleek. I smiled at your description of wrens as bouncy -- yes, they are!
ReplyDeleteI scatter a mix of crushed peanuts, mixed seed, porridge oats and crumbled fat balls out front every morning which the birds feed on throughout the day.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget water for them as well. Flighty xx