Even before breakfast I find myself mixing up raw pastry for the birds LOL, the activity in the garden is on full and G.S.Woody is looking for his first meal of the day (pastry) ! The feeders are brought in routinely in batches for cleaning, two at a time, then refilled with toasted sunflower hearts (if you microwave them for 5 mins or bake them for 15 mins they don't sprout if they drop to the ground ! ). The pastry rests in the fridge for a couple of hours after mixing (but often I make it the night before needed, making 2 kilo batches and freezing it once it is separated into separate logs and poly-wrapped) and is then placed in small amounts amongst the twigs, shrubs and put into fat feeders, spread around so all animals have a chance at eating. I cook al-dente pasta for the Corvids and mix two tins of thick cat or dog food with it and that gets strewn on the ground so the Crows can also get a share as they prefer to eat at ground level. Peanuts are sprinkled out for the Cyrils and Corvids and the guardian cages are wiped over and seeds replenished, throwing out any seeds or nuts that may have got too damp or manky. I sprinkle soaked mealies and suet pellets on the ground for the Robins and Backbirds. There is no need for water bowls as the birds have access to pond areas. So, all this takes around 30 mins zipping around the garden front and back (not including the washing of the feeders) then I return to base and grab my coffee and then watch the action LOL
The morning feed !!
Pasta mixed with dog or cat meat for the Corvids
Squirrel proof feeders which are brought in two at a time (when required) for cleaning and refilling
The peanuts for the Cyril Squirrels, suet pellets for Robins, Blackbirds and Tit family, the mixed pasta/meat for corvids and containers of sunflower seeds which will be placed into the empty feeders. Fat balls for Corvids and pastry mixed with mild cheddar cheese, suet pellets, crushed peanuts for almost all the birds (some birds like Greenfinch, Goldies, Nuthatches are not partial to pastry) but most others are including the Woodpeckers who can't get enough of it and the Jays go completely crazy for pastry, preferring that over nuts !
Breakfast ready to go out for the birdies and squirrels !
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Regards, Hazel
Hi Catlady, sounds as if you have a great area for the birds and lots of seeds/nuts to keep them going. I think the temperatures are dropping tonight so you may well see an increase in bird activity tomorrow morning so you got the feeders out just in time LOL !
A veritable banquet for sure. Don't let our birdies see this, or they will be entering your postcode into their satnavs.
Have a good 2014, your birdies certainly will.
Take care all, Stich.
My gallery Here Flickr Here
And I thought I spoilt my birds LOL Pastry has never gone down well with mine apart from the Jackdaws who steal it in great chunks. I can't keep up with the Goldfinches and Greenfinches, filling SH heart feeders twice a day. Of course having a rolling order for raisins for the cheeky blackbirds
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Thanks Stich and Judi,
@ Stich LOL, all diners welcome but advance warning may be needed if you are sending starlings or sparrows over !!
@ Judi, you've reminded me about the raisins I have in the cupboard (nice large Whitworths variety) which I sometimes put out for the Blackbirds so tomorrow morning they will be added to the breakfast order lol
Evening Hazy,I'm so glad I'm not the only soft one,lol!When i'm in work,all feeders&trays are brought in at night & food prepared (takes 30-45mins).I start work at 8 and food is put out at 7am without fail(usually in the dark whist still in my PJ's!)-takes approx 20 mins.If I plan to have a lie in at the weekend,I end up getting up because I feel sorry the Blackbirds when I hear them on the back lawn looking for their breakfast!
Jayne
See my Flickr photos here.
LOL Jayne, i'm so glad you said that, I can't count the number of times I have got up early in the morning, sat by the window with my first cup of coffee and had to put it down without finishing it because I saw Blackbirds and Chaffinches foraging on the ground looking for any remaining food !! I said to Mike, I can't bear seeing them wandering around looking for food, especially when the weather is so dreadful, so I always end up going into the garden with dishes of seeds/nuts/suet to fling down for the early visitors LOL.
During the very cold winter of 2010 I was often up very early whilst still dark, feeling sorry for the birds who had been through some of the coldest nights ever .... at the time we had a visiting peacock and I would be up waiting for first light and then calling the peacock down from his roost in one of our Oak trees .........he would fly down as I was kneeling in my dressing gown by the kitchen/conservatory door, waiting for him to come for some food and especially Marks and Spencer grapes which he was partial too !!! LOL I would be shivering with the door open and minus 10 degrees outside but happy in the knowledge that the birds got some food. I then padded out in my garden boots through the snow, still wearing P.J's dressing gown to refill feeders and strew other suet and fat products down LOL The other day when the rain was coming down like stair-rods I was out for 20 mins. putting out food, coming back into the house like a drowned rat - Mike had the phone in his hand with my Aunt on the line who must have thought I had lost my marbles going out in such gale force windy/stormy weather LOL !! I guess we don't consider what people think when our dedication to the birds comes first !!
Keep calm and carry on feeding ROFL
Lol Hazy - That's the beauty of the forum- people like me, lol! I never tell my work colleagues(I work for the NHS),what I do before work as I'm sure I'd be referred for some counselling,lol!
Bird Addicts Anonymous LOL not sure we can be cured !