Suet Recipe for Birds (makes 6 cakes)
Mix in a large bowl:
4 cups of cornmeal
3 cups of oatmeal
2 cups of flour
2/3 cups sugar
2 cups cracked sunflower seeds (optional)
Melt in large pan:
2 cups of lard
2 cups of peanut butter
Pour dry mixture into the melted lard and peanut butter then mix well. Spoon into molds that fit into your suet feeder. (I kept the commercial suet molds and reuse them).
Refrigerate to harden the mixture. You can freeze it too.
We always double the recipe and refrigerate it.
Recipe provided by Sherry Hagen
Hummingbird Nectar
Please avoid commercially-made hummingbird food, as it contains dyes and preservatives that may harm to our small visitors in concentration.
1 cup water
1/4 cup white cane sugar
Boil water. Pour over sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover and allow to cool. Pour into a clean feeder.
Use plain white cane sugar (or beet sugar). NEVER use artificial sweeteners or honey. Sugar with some brown coloration (organic, brown, turbinado, etc.) may contain enough iron to cause toxicity to hummingbirds!
One of the most important things to do when feeding hummingbirds is the keep the feeder clean. In mild or cold weather, they will need to be cleaned every 3-5 days. In hot weather, every 1-2 days. If you notice your mixture is cloudy, empty and clean the feeder right away. If you don’t want to clean the feeder frequently, please don’t use one. Provide flowering plants and avoid pesticides and your hummingbirds should still visit and thrive!
Vancouver Audubon 