For many, November marks the start of a season of delicious,
fattening goodies! We aren’t alone in this habit, as cooler temperatures
approach, many warm-blooded creatures pack on the pounds critical to
survive the colder, darker, winter months. For birds, it means having
access to nutrient-rich, fat-laden nuts, seeds, and even straight-up fat
(like in suet). Consider making these easy to assemble pinecone suet
feeders so your bird-neighbors have enough energy to survive the winter.
Unlike us, they actually need that extra helping of fat this time of
year!
Securely attach wire or sturdy string to the top of the pinecone.
Thin, “floral wire” is available at local craft stores. However, any
thin wire around your home will suffice. Yarn can be effective, but it
has a tendency to thread and break more easily when blown around, so
your pinecone feeder may not be as sturdy once it’s hung outside.
In a large bowl or pyrex pan, pour in a thick layer of mixed birdseed, preferably one that your birds are used to feeding on.
6. Coat Your Pinecone With Tallow
Once the tallow is melted, turn it off and let it cool. Wait a few
minutes until the tallow starts to become more of a glue like
texture–not liquid and not solid. Then, pick-up your pinecone by the
wire and drag it through the fat. Be careful, the tallow is still hot.
Move the pine cone around so it is thoroughly coated, and some of the
oil gets down into the scales.
7. Coat Your Pinecone With Bird Seed
Take the tallow-covered pine cone and do your best to submerge it in
the bird seed. Sometimes it helps to pick-up seeds and sprinkle them
over the pinecone, or push the seeds into the sticky crevices. Do this
before the tallow hardens. You may have to reheat the tallow a couple of
times to keep the softer texture, if you are doing multiple pinecone
feeders. Before taking the pinecone out of the seed pan, lightly shake
or spin it to release loose seeds.
8. Cool on Wax Paper
When you are done covering the pinecone with seeds, place it on a
piece of wax-paper. If you are going to wrap-up the feeder as a gift,
wax paper is best to use as your first layer, so the seed-covered
pinecone does not stick to your wrapping materials.
If you are unable to access pine cones, feel free to follow the steps
above and instead of putting the melted tallow on your pinecone,
transfer it to a bowl of mixed bird seed. Thoroughly mix the seeds and
tallow. Then, transfer the concoction into a deep pan. Spread it out so
it completely covers the bottom of the pan, as though it were cake
batter. Once it is hardened, you can cut out the suet cakes like large
brownies!
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