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Ian and I have been studying elementary biology this year. I don’t know why, but I always seem to get hung up on the chapters about birds. I don’t want to move past it. I want to stop, study birds for longer, learn more about them, set up a bunch of birdfeeders and become serious birders.
I never really had much of a fascination for birds – in fact, I was probably a bit afraid of some birds – until Gracie came along. When she was little, she was so interested in birds. She collected the little stuffed ones that sing (in fact, she still has that collection tucked away in her closet; but she won’t share!). Her love for birds became my love for birds.
Over the years, though, as Gracie has grown and her interests have changed, and as the birdfeeders have gotten destroyed by bears and weather, our interest has faded. With Ian, I’m hoping to resurrect that interest again! In our homeschool stash, we’ve got all sorts of bird books and notebooking pages, etc. I need to dig them out!
Apparently my beloved Walt Disney must have liked birds as well. After all, his favorite song from Mary Poppins was “Feed the Birds.”
This past weekend, I attended a local church’s Christmas bazaar with my mom. I found a neat birdfeeder with holes in the sides to fill with homemade suet. I thought it would be the perfect bird-related activity to do with Ian to finish up our bird study (which, if I have anything to say about it, won’t actually be finished at all). And, it was only $4!
On Monday, we went out to purchase a few ingredients to make our suet; and, while at the store, we couldn’t resist picking up a Thistle Sock for the Goldfinches as well.
Make-Your-Own Suet
You’ll need these ingredients:
- 1 c. lard or shortening
- 1 c. yellow cornmeal
- 1 c. birdseed
- 1/2 c. peanut butter
Mix ingredients together. Store in refrigerator or freezer until needed.
As you can see, we filled the holes using a spoon and our fingers.
Here is the finished product, hanging outside our living room windows:
Now, we wait for our feathered friends to discover it! (We’ve got lots of refills for them in the refrigerator!)
Please share your tips and tricks for attracting birds!
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