Blue Tits and their love of Fat

Hi Blackbird

In my garden the food of choice of the tits is definitely sunflower kernels and not fat. Fat balls are virtually ignored and suet pellets which i put in a wire tube only seems to be liked by starlings.

Whether this is because the tits can quickly grab a seed and disappear into a shrub and eat it in safety or whether there's some nutritional benefit that they need at this time of year I don't know.

Noticing this behaviour I made up my own fat block by blitzing sunflower kernels, mixing it with lard and throwing in a few currants for good measure. Hah, I thought that's sure to tickle their fancy but no. The only bird that's really enthusiastic about it is the black cap.

This one has been with me for a couple of weeks now and when his back is turned a female sneaks in pecks at it and only today I saw another male trying to get a look in.

Why the blackcaps like it and not the tits is a mystery to me.

Tony

Hi Tony

So many posts to answer on the RSPB at the moment

Love your Male Blackcap he is a super looking bird {and the fact you have others too}

So now you have a Blackcap recipe to attract Blackcaps LOL

Do you mind if you post your recipe at all?

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Nicki C said:

Hi Tony

So many posts to answer on the RSPB at the moment

Love your Male Blackcap he is a super looking bird {and the fact you have others too}

So now you have a Blackcap recipe to attract Blackcaps LOL

Do you mind if you post your recipe at all?

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Hi Kathy

I'm happy for my so called "blackcap recipe" to be posted.

All I did was blitz some sunflower kernels to a coarse grain in a blender then mixed it with melted lard in the ratio two thirds sunflower seeds to one third fat.(as recommended by the RSPB) and allowed it to set in the fridge. I added a few currants that I had spare but i don't think that is the attraction.

Quite why blackcaps like it beats me.

Regards

Tony

Hi,

My blue tits also aren't eating the fat things, but are taking suet pellets. I have stopped putting fat balls out for now. My coconut fat hangers are being used only by jackdaws, and only occasionally.. Even the starlings have given up on them

Tony - when you say sunflower kernals, I take it you mean the sunflower hearts? I may try this. I did have one blackcap, one day, 3 minutes! It was before the cold weather and he was rooting about in the shrub tubs. I didn't realise they would also cling, so maybe I can atract him back again.

Right Tony, we have never had blackcaps in this garden so will try your recipe. If it doesn't work, I want my money back :-) . Thank you

Strange about the tits ignoring fat. We need an RSPB expert to tell us why.

Yes, Sparrow I did mean sunflower hearts (without the husks).

Brenda, you'll be lucky.

Delia eat your heart out!

TJ

last year see longtailed tits in my garden have not seen them this year but spoke  to some one to day who has seen them there by so still in area any oe seen any this year

I had a squad of longtails in my garden too last year, but they haven't appeared this year. I caught a fleeting glance of one last week but that was it.

It was funny watching them trail around after each other...

Unknown said:

Strange about the tits ignoring fat

Could be the much easier alternative on offer - suet pellets.

Hi

Must agree with you, since introducing my birds to Sunflower Hearts they have never looked back. To such an extent that the nuts,fat squares and generally most other offerings are ignored most of the time. The Blue Tits are a particularly greedy bunch of visitors again taking generally only the Sunflower Hearts. (Noticed this 12 months of the year including feeding to their offspring)

Cheers

Nigel