Christmas > Gifts > HomemadeDecember 21, 2007

This is not only a good gift idea for bird lovers (like me) but also for homebound/seniors that enjoy watching the birds.

Get a 12 inch long log off a birch tree branch (at least 8 to 10 inches wide in diameter). Drill a few 1-2 inch holes into the log and add a hook to the top to hang. These logs also make great centerpiece yule logs by placing the holes on one side and adding candles and greenery.

Homemade Suet

Instructions

• 1 cup lard, fat or shortening
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups quick cook oats (uncooked)
• 2 cups cornmeal
• optional: bird seed, nuts, raisins or unsalted pretzels

Directions

Soften lard and peanut butter in micowave, add other ingredients and mix. Don't make too sticky. Roll into tube-like shapes about 4-5 inches long. Freeze on a cookie tray in the freezer. After frozen, either wrap in waxed paper or you can insert the suet into the drilled holes in the logs. Or you may provide the frozen logs to the recipient and let them insert the suet into the logs and hang outside.

Woodpeckers and other birds will hang on and peck at it! Great fun to watch!

Speaking of WATCHING, if you know of a bird lover that does watch their feeders, inviting them to join the Feederwatch.org program would be a fun and useful program to get them involved in! We count how many birds come to our feeders during a time we choose to watch. It is for scientific study on our wildlife. The site to find out more is: http://www.feederwatch.org and is handled by Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Source: Feederwatch info from Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Suet recipe from Lackawanna Sanctuary.

By BeBeEyes from Sterling, PA

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