2nd try on edit
Happy New Year to everyone.
I am using peanuts, sunflower seeds, niger seeds, mealworms and fatballs in the garden at the moment.
I have experimented this year with peanut butter with smashed bird peanuts added to it, the birds seem to like this.
I have bought, suet, animal and vegetable which I thought to mix a recipe adding some peanut butter and bird seed to the mix, just wandered what other recipes combinations may work and also what feed others are using in the garden. If there is something in particular that will entice the birds especially for the bird watch weekend.
The jackdaws and crows have been stealing off the little birds fat ball hanging cage this year and the magpie is hanging off the suspended seed table, poking his head in to pick up seed, this seed table is with a roof designed only for little birds to hop in.
Any way grateful for any tips. Also if any one has a step by step recipe using the suet.
Thanks for tips on edit doggie.
Happy new year Jo ...I use all of the above as well , I have found that all the tits and the robin love sunflower hearts ....
Hi Rosie, yes and mealworms, the robins just luv, mind you I think the blackbirds and tits do also. Do you have any recipe with suet Rosie?
Thanks doggie I didn't realise they would go for uncooked pastry, with seed mixed in - great.
I am in the birdwatch this year, should I post the recipe and bird id post in the other forum?
That sounds great thanks Alan, I shall look forward to Hazy, Wendy and Jason, popping in.
I will check out the other forums as well, thanks again for the tips.
Hi jo2 & welcome - I've been making my pastry with wholemeal flour/lard/cheese/grated apple/mealworms/seed/dried fruit all mixed up in the food processor, don't seem to need any liquid if the apple is large enough & then I shape it into a long tube so that it will fit into a fat ball feeder (chill overnight) & the birds go mad for it - sparrows/starlings & blue tit at present. Am going to put some into a dish on the ground to see if the blackbirds like it!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Raisins are great. I've a blackbird that now takes them from my hand!
I put out most left over fruit chopped up. Breakfast cereal scraps.
That's in addition to the normal daily bird seed mix, mealworms, sunflower seeds, Niger seeds, suet and insect blocks, fat balls, peanuts, half coconuts.
I also grow sunflowers and leave them to seed and leave a lot of black and red currants on the plants for the birds.
A bird in the hand can make an awful mess!
That sounds great Wendy and northernlass. Thanks for sharing
I fill half coconuts with melted suet, sunflower seeds, suet fruit nibbles, dried mealworms, crushed peanuts, sultanas and sometimes grated cheese. Our resident great spotted woodpeckers love them as do most of the small birds that visit our garden (e.g. blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, robins).
We've had a couple of jays visiting recently and I have been putting out bread spread with peanut butter for them. They keep coming back so looks like that is a hit, and the black birds have taken a liking to it too.
Seems like a good point to comment on the exorbitant increase in the cost of Atora suet. Throughout most of 2012 we were able to buy 200g packets for 65p. However, in December the price shot up to around £1.50. The cheapest I can get at the moment is £1.10 per 200g. Has anyone else noticed this huge increase?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/all_things_nautical/
The price rises are exorbitant now BW - I have been comparing prices for bird suet items after having paid £1.99 for 550g of pink suet pellets in local pet shop - went to Twootz who are selling 5Kg of these for only £11.99 free delivery, means I can be more liberal in treating all the birds now! Also got 12 Gourmet fat feast packs for £9.99 and these are £1.99 each in pet shop - do like a bargain!!!