Well, not really. It’s very cold here in Ohio now with record-breaking temperatures. The highs have been in the single digits with low and wind chill below zero. I am very thankful to have a warm place to rest my head at night!
If your wildlife, like this beautiful female northern cardinal, you have to brave the cold. And that can be very serious business in these temperatures. Birds and other wildlife have three basic needs for survival and you can provide them in your landscape:
1. Water – it can be tricky in the winter but they do sell products to keep your baths free of ice.
2. Shelter - landscape trees, shrubs and other vegetation are great for birds. I let many of my perennials stand over the winter to provide extra support for the wildlife during this time.
3. Food - there are many ways to provide food, including native landscaping that is good for birds. Winterberry is a great shrub in my region that sets fruit in the winter and provide food resources for wildlife.
Now is a great time to put feed out for the birds if you are able. It can be as simple as a feeder with seed purchased from the store, or a homemade suet cake recipe like this one:
Suet Cake:
crisco
peanut butter
flour
cornmeal
birdseed
Mesh Bag (like the one oranges and onion or potatoes come in)
Combine one part crisco one part peanut butter, and one part flour together. Mix with one part birdseed with three parts cornmeal. Mix well (a great activity for children). Roll the mixture in a ball and put it into the bag to hang it. Or stuff the contents into holes drilled into a hanging log.
If you are really eager, you can create a winter feeding bonanza like Jerry has done here. You can see he even re-purposed his Christmas tree to hang suet cakes on or for the birds to use a refuge while visiting the feeders. Way to go Jerry!
You can find other great homemade and re-purposed bird feeder ideas here (NAS).
Sharing this post with:Nature Notes , Wild Bird Wednesday, the BIRD D’pot, Camera Critters
Our World Tuesday
I can’t wait to try this suet recipe. Almost sounds good enough to eat. I said almost. Jerry
Thanks for sharing the suet recipe! Wow, that is some feeder set-up. The birds can not hungry there. Thanks for sharing!
Nice post. Got to give the birds a hand in conditions like this!
I like the reused tree as well.
Cheers and thanks for the link to WBW.
Stewart M – Melbourne
WOW Jerry–that’s some backdeck bonanza for the birdies! And how convenient for photos! Awesome.
Love the recipe, which I might actually have a go at. But–we’re lucky enough to have a butcher that make suet balls from the rendered meat fat and the birdies LOVE it….and him……which I’ll make a point to pass on cuz I doubt he gets to hear that!
Excellent photo of Mrs. Cardinal–she’s a beauty!
Beautiful, beautiful female Cardinal…I think they are as wonderful as the males! I just wrote down your suet cake recipe…thank you. I use the cakes more than seed to feed the many birds that come, but always buy it. This will be fun to see how they like it;’)~
Oh my goodness, that Cardinal is Beyond Beautiful!
This is a wonderful post for Nature Notes..I love all of it but especially using the christmas tree. It also provides a place to hide for the small birds. I haven’t made my own suet yet, but I should try it as so many people swear by it and it is expensive. I see we have some of the same feeders. I have the Squirrel Buster green one and the recycled milk carton tray and suet feeders…Michelle