24 Jan, 2009
Snacks for the backyard wildlife
Posted by andrea tomkins in: Easy ways to make kids happy|Photography
The girls and I refilled the “snack log” Mark fixed up for us a few years ago. It’s a hunk of hard wood (I am fairly sure this one is from an old branch from our lilac tree), with some holes drilled into it, sticks wedged in, and a hook screwed right in the top. Woodpeckers have added a few extra holes for us too. It’s interesting to inspect them afterwards. (They make quick work from a bit of old wood … like this one we saw in the summertime!)
The mixture is an easy one to make. You’ll need:
- leftover peanut butter (the natural/sugar-free kind)
- bacon drippings (cooled) This adds fat and calories, and give our backyard friends the extra energy they need to get through the winter.
- black shell sunflower seeds
- other mixed wild bird seed (often available in small quantities at the Bulk Barn)
Stir everything together and press the mixture into the holes and over the top of the log. Hang the snack log outside on a thick branch. (Ours is visible from the kitchen window.) If you have extra mix you can smear it right on a tree trunk or press it into a pinecone and hang with a bit of kitchen string.
ETA: Here’s ours!
We put our log out yesterday and the chickadees are already swarming.
