from Mary Poppins
FEED THE
BIRDS
---Mary
Poppins
Early each day to the steps of St Paul's,
The little old Bird Woman comes.
In her own special way to the people she calls,
"Come, buy my bags full of crumbs."
"Come feed the little birds, show them your care,
And you'll be glad if you do --
Their young ones are hungry,
Their nests are so bare;
All it takes is tuppence from you."
"Fed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.
"Feed the birds," that's what she cries,
While overhead, her birds fill the skies.
All around the cathedral, the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares;
Although you can't see it,
You know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.
Though her words are simple and few,
Listen, listen, she's calling to you --
"Feed the bird, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag."
Sunflower Seeds: Chickadee, Titmouse, Grosbeak, Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Finch, Siskin, Cardinal, Jays.
Thistle Seeds: Junco, Goldfinch, Finch, Suskin, Sparrow
Millet: Junco, Doves, Sparrow, Cowbird, Blackbird
Cracked Corn: Junco, Dove, Jays, Sparrow, Cowbird, Grackle, Blackbird
Suet: Woodpecker, Starling, Chickadee, Nuthatch
WARNING: Suet is a fat and if heated too high or too fast, it will splatter, spit, burn and scorch!
4 1/2 cups ground fresh suet
3/4 cup dried and fine ground bakery goods -- whole wheat or cracked wheat bread or crackers are best
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup dried and chopped fruit (currants, raisins, berries)
3/4 cup dried and fine ground meat (optional)
Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat; mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl; allw the suet to cool until slightly thickened, then stir into the mixture. Mix thoroughly. Pour or pack into forms or suet feeders; smear onto tree trunks or overhannging limbs and branches; or pack into pine cones.
1/2 pound fresh ground suet
1/3 cup sunflower seed
2/3 cup wild bird seed mix
1/8 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup raisins
Melt suet in saucepan over low heat; allow to cool thoroughly, then reheat it.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together in large bowl
Allow suet to cool until slightly thickened, thens tir into the mixture; mix thoroughly.
Pourinto pie pan or form or pack into suet feeders.
1 part crunchy peanut butter
1 part suet
1 part flour
3 parts cornmeal
1 part cracked corn
Other seeds may be added as desired
Soften the suet -- do not completely melt it. Stir it in with the other ingredients; form into blocks, balls, pack in feeder items such as pine cones, hollowed logs, etc.
1 Cup ground suet
1 Cup peanut butter
3 Cups corn meal
1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
Melt suet over low heat; add peanut butter; blend well. Cool until slightly thickened; stir into flour/cornmeal mixture. Mold or pour into feeders or forms. Works well in pine cones that have been soaked until open.
1 part crunchy peanut butter
1 part lard
2 parts quick cook oats
2 parts cornmeal
1 part flour (preferably whole or cracked wheat flour)
A few cracked nuts or seeds if desired.
Melt the peanut butter and lard. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cool.
Grow your own sunflowers during the summer and dry the flower heads. When harvesting the heads, leave about 12 inches of stalk attached. Tie a piece of twine around the stalk and tie it to the feeder pole or a tree branch.
Take a fresh ear of corn that still has the husk on it. Peel the husk and remove the silk. Tie twine around the husks and attach to feeder pole or tree branch. If you have access to field corn, you may want to get enough ears while they are fresh to last you through the winter. You can pull the husks down and attach them to a pole to dry, preserving them for winter use.
Do you have some cornmeal in the pantry that needs to be tossed out! DON'T -- cook it up according to directions, add an extra egg, a handful of bird seed or other tasty morsels, a little more water if necessary, and bake. Cut into small squares and put out in the feeder.
