bacon fat

[Brightonrosie]

Would like to remind everyone when they are cutting off their uncooked fat to feed all the ground feeding birds with it whilst it is so snowy. if you grate some chesse and a bit falls off put that out too. Ground feeders like blackbirds will not go onto a bird table. I put some out today on a paper plate under the shelter of the hedge and I have been visited by a very pretty grey Wagtail, a Robin and a Jay. I don't normally get birds in my garden so it has been a delight seeing them benefit from slimming world xx

 

[Donnie46]

Thank you for you post, we should always remember to feed the birds.

My birds are fed everyday I have bird tables in the front and back garden - I live by the sea so I am feeding sea gulls too, and I have a lovely little family of robins who live near the green house, so I feed my feathered friends every day.

 

[pinkyfluff]

Ah good idea. Had a lovely robin in my garden the other day but he was camera shy as he had gone by the time I returned with the camera.

x

 

[HellieCopter]

Excellent post! I put my bacon fat out for the birds just this morning. I have to keep the cat in when I do though, as he's quite an adept hunter and I'd hate him to kill a little blackbird or robin...well, I hate him killing anything but he's a cat and it's what he does, but I'm not going to provide hunting opportunities for him!

 

[charlottegrace1]

My bird table looks a bit like the ritz for birds it has so much differnt food on. They realy do appreciate it and its such a joy to watch them.

 

[woolyback]

Don't forget to put fresh water out for them as well. At the moment it's very difficult for them to find water . if you put some out it saves them having to waste energy searching for it.

 

[judimac]

I spend a fortune on seed and peanuts and also make "cake". I melt lard and stir in birdseed, sunflower seeds, raisins, and pour into old christmas pudding basins and put string into it before it sets so I can hang it from a branch.
We have all sorts of birds but my favourite is the woodpecker that comes every morning.

 

[Circes]

It's also worth checking out the RSPB website for info on what you can and should not put out for the birds

The RSPB: Advice

 

[jaylou]

I was told by the birdie people in the pet shop not to put smoked bacon fat out for them as it is too salty so I stopped doing this (we only have smoked)
Each morning I've been out in my boots clearing the table, defrosting the water bowl and feeding them. They get seeds, sultanas, oats and anything else that I have!! I spend a fortune on the birds but it's so rewarding - we have greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches, bullfinches, robins and so many blackbirds and starlings and the tits! They all scarper when nasty Mr Sparrowhawk appears though!!!

I love my birdies

 

[Brightonrosie]

I was told by the birdie people in the pet shop not to put smoked bacon fat out for them as it is too salty so I stopped doing this (we only have smoked)
Each morning I've been out in my boots clearing the table, defrosting the water bowl and feeding them. They get seeds, sultanas, oats and anything else that I have!! I spend a fortune on the birds but it's so rewarding - we have greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches, bullfinches, robins and so many blackbirds and starlings and the tits! They all scarper when nasty Mr Sparrowhawk appears though!!!

I love my birdies

A sparrowhawk in your garden WOW !!!

 

[jaylou]

Yep, he's nasty!!!

 

[Purple_Star]

Great post, thanks.

 

[Roz V]

We too get great pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment from watching the birds in our garden, but it's not just the food that costs - it's also replacing the feeders that the squirrels have 'bitten up!'

We regularly put out nyjer seeds for the goldfinches, sunflower seeds, peanuts, fat balls and birdcake, shredded suet and sultanas as well in winter, and are always buying bags of 'chuck out' rolls, and sometimes whole loaves - oooh, the temptation!

But we are rewarded by a constant display of colour - we even had a ring-necked parakeet yesterday, who looked magnificent against the snow. (Except that I panicked, he didn't have a 'ring', and I thought that he might be an escaped pet parrot, but a quick look in the bird books confirmed HE was, in fact, a SHE!).

We have a peanut feeder on the wall just outside the window where I sit. It was put there for the tits, so that we could observe them more closely, but has been commandeered by the squirrels, who provide endless entertainment just 6" from my nose! We used to have one who'd tap on the window for attention, slowly learned to take nuts from my hand and eventually came on to my lap! Sadly, none of the current lot are that brave.

Eeek, I'm rambling again. Happy birdwatching everyone, and, as said before, PLEASE remember to defrost the waterbowl. I've read that birds can die of thirst rather than hunger in weather like this - ours is in constant use, not just by the birds, but by the squirrels as well!