There always seems to be a plentiful assortment of birds feeding and playing in our backyard. For years, I have been drawing our little friends to visit with my used cooking oil, day old loafs of bread, stale cereal and crackers. After hearing this weeks predicted weather forecast, I decided to do a little research on homemade bird suet, and learned that with a little creativity and time, I could treat our backyard birds to an ample supply of nourishing goodness! With in 5 minutes of hanging, 3 Red Cardinal, 3 Blue Jay, 2 Yellow Finch, 1 Sparrow, and a woodpecker appeared. My brother Joey ran to grab his camera and we both I sat on the bench in my my breakfast nook peering out the window… As we watched this saying came to mind…”If you build it they will come!”
A fun project to do with the kids …take some photos and send them to me…I will post them with our growing list of GMG Cooks!
Ingredients
1 3.5 lbs. bag Classic Wild Bird Feed
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup peanuts
2 cups cornmeal
1 3/4 cups leftover cooked meat fat, cut in small pieces
2 cups lard, Cut into pieces
1 3/4 cups leftover/used La Spagnola vegetable olive oil blend cooking oil
Supplies
30 inch plastic tube fish netting(can be found at fishing supply stores, an onion bag can also be used)
4 12 inch lengths twine
1 plastic saucer shaped container(I like to use the bottom section of my cherry tomato container)
waxed paper
6-8 red berry branch pieces
2 zip tie
Step-by-Step
1 combine first six ingredients in large mixing bowl; mix well
2 add fat pieces; mix well
3 add lard pieces and oil; mix well using hands
4 line cookie sheet with aluminum foil; spread mixture evenly into prepared pan; chill overnight in refrigerator
5 spread 3 cups birdseed on cookie sheet
6 remove mixture from refrigerator; shape mixture into one 18×12 inch log shaped piece
7 transfer log to cookie sheet with birdseed; roll cover outer surface of log with seeds; transfer to wax paper; wrap
8 Tie and secure knot at one of fish netting; open netting pouch using your hands; slide waxed paper wrapped log into tube of netting; Remove wax paper; Secure tight knot; fix one zip tie to the top end of fishing net bird feeder
9 fix 4 holes evenly spaced on sides of plastic saucer shaped container; knot and secure one twine length to each hole; Gather four lengths together and knot; Secure to bottom knot of bird feeder
10 position red berry branches into holes of fishing net feeder
11 secure feeder to tree branch or hook to section cup window hook holder; fill saucer with birdseed; sit back and watch the birds feed!
Like you don’t spend enough time cooking for people! Im leaving a note in yard with your address.
LikeLike
LOL!!
LikeLike
You should do a cookbook for animals. I bet it would be a #1 seller.
LikeLike
I love this post.. the birds are so pretty.. you amaze me. This would be fun for kids on a snow day. Love to feed the birds. Thanks will try it
LikeLike
Love this post. I feed the birds all the time. Great idea to do with kids on a snow day
LikeLike
Is This Italian bird feed?
LikeLike
I guess we can call it that!…it defiantly contains some cooking oil from my son BJ’s Fried Muddica steak night a few nights ago!
LikeLike
Good for you! You’ve got a Northern Cardinal in red (of course) and a Downy Woodpecker. You are going to get lots of woodpeckers to your suit. Nut hatches, Carolina Wrens, why the list will go on and on. There are 4 more woodpeckers you may get. Red-bellied, Northern Flicker, Hairy and Pileated if your lucky!
The yellow birds were most likely American Goldfinch. The last photo looks to be a Black-capped Chickadee, but it could be a Tufted Titmouse.
LikeLike
Steve…Thank you for your comment and I very much appreciate the info you shared. It’s so exciting to watch the birds feed from my window seat, but I know this new past time is going to cut into my beloved cooking hours! Can you recommend a good website with photos to easily identify the birds.
LikeLike
To coin the overused ~ but in this case appropriate word ~ AMAZING! Anxious to see “what’s cooking” next ~
LikeLike
Thanks so much for this recipe…my family was just discussing the fact that we need to feed the birds in this cold weather!
LikeLike
Your very welcome… I would love to see some photos send them in!
LikeLike
What a fabulous idea. I love feeding the winter birds in my yard. I usually buy the pre-packaged suet with seeds and berries.. Where do I purchase the fish netting? I live in Hamilton…Can I buy it in Gloucester?
LikeLike
Rose Marine
375 Main Street
Gloucester Ma 01930
Phone # 978-283-3334
….Don’t forget to tell them Sista Felicia sent you!
LikeLike
That is just wonderful. I love feeding the birds but I’ve never made anything that amazing.
LikeLike
I left a note for the birds in my backyard with your address.
LikeLike
LOL…Thank You Joan, I will send them back your way big and healthy!
LikeLike
Felicia you are so amazing, I love the bird feeder, I made one today with left over fishing net from the wearable arts show. I have it in the front yard and I’m hoping my friend from the arctic comes back to visit me. We have had a beautiful white arctic owl on the rocks down by the water. He is so beautiful and has golden eyes! I will send you a photo of him. Do you know if owls prefere any one seed over another? Thank you again for this most wonderful post!
Xxoo, D
LikeLike
Wow I have not seen one of these since I was back that way – and that was a long time ago! You got all the vitamin and food ranges for these birds – very nice! 🙂
LikeLike