February 2009 Archives

The 12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count is only a few days away!  February 13-16 are the dates.  Last year, Alabama birders reported observations of 127,030 individual birds of 174 species and, as citizen scientists, contributed to our knowledge of the distribution and population trends of North American birds in mid-winter.  Check out the results of last year's count at www.birdsource.org/gbbc or, better yet, count the birds in your backyard or park or town and report your data at www.birdcount.org.

To attract more a greater variety of birds to your backyard feeders, try a "suet" feeder.  You can buy commercial cakes, but we've had great success with a recipe from Martha Sargent of the Hummer/Bird Study Group in Clay, Alabama.
 
MARTHA'S SUET FOR BIRDS
       
1 cup lard
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups "quick" oatmeal
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup white flour

Measure dry ingredients and mix slightly.  Melt lard and peanut butter over low heat or in microwave until just liquid...do not let it boil!  Stir in the dry mix.  Pour into square freezer containers about 1 ½" thick to fit your suet basket.  Store the cakes in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to use them.  The recipe makes about 8 cakes.