by James Barker
As the seasons start to change, the temperature plummets and the trees shed their leaves, we start donning our winter coats and turning on the central heating to get us ready for the coldest time of the year.
The wildlife of Great Britain is busy at work too, preparing in their own mysterious way for the cold spell. Birds and squirrels hoard food when the trees and plants are at full bloom their fruit and offerings at their most abundant. The sly little critters store it for later, when all of the leaves have fallen, the crops have died and the ground is layered with a thin layer of snow.
By putting a bird or squirrel feeder in your garden you are helping to stock their larders and are giving them and their babies a better chance to survive through late autumn, winter and early spring. These feeders are easy to make. Why not get the children to help during their autumn holiday?
Pinecone feeder
You will need:
Large, open pinecone,
Peanut Butter,
Lard,
Bird Seed,
String,
- Tie about a metre of string around the top of the pine cone.
- Cover the cone with a combination of lard and peanut butter (you can use your hands for this!)
- Roll the covered pinecone in the bird-seed mixture until it is covered all over.
- Hang from a tree and wait!
Bird cake
You will need:
Bird feed,
Vegetable lard,
Empty yoghurt pots,
- Cut the lard into chucks and mix it with the bird feed. 1 part lard to 2 parts birdseed is the advised amount.
- Once combined, transfer the mixture into a saucepan and melt the lard.
- Make holes in the bottom of the yoghurt pots, push through some string and knot the end so that the pot hangs, as if on a swing.
- Fill the pots with the seed mixture and leave in the fridge overnight.
- Once it’s set you can cut off the yoghurt pot to reveal the hardened-fat cake on the end of the string, ready to be hung in the tree!
Milk carton squirrel feeder
You will need:
An empty, clean milk carton,
Peanuts,
A hole punch,
String,
Scissors,
- Cut squirrel-head-sized holes on two sides around the middle of the milk carton, so that squirrels can reach in and retrieve the food, but not so close to the bottom that the peanuts will fall out.
- Punch a hole through the top of the carton and thread through the string, making sure you leave enough to hang the feeder from the tree.
- Fill the carton with peanuts up to the holes.
- Hang in your tree and watch the squirrels feed!
Putting feed out for birds and squirrels provides constant food for them during the colder months. Also, it is a great chance for your children to watch the animals feed and really get back to nature. Give it a go!
Brought to you by Center Parcs. Visit our website for great offers on weekend breaks in October.
