You may remember that in Texas, we had our ag exemption for raising bluebirds and improving their habitat. Here’s a link to a post with a couple of pictures. Vince built nesting boxes for them – 20 or 24 I think he built. I grew meal worms, which they loved eating. We would put little cups of meal worms into their boxes several times a day when they were nesting or feeding babies.
Yesterday I walked outside with one of the dogs and there were four bluebirds sitting on a cow panel that I use for a trellis for garden plants. I had never seen a bluebird here. I thought maybe I hadn’t really seen a bluebird. I asked Vince if bluebirds live here or come here. He wasn’t sure. I looked it up. Guess what’s the state bird of Missouri! The Easter Bluebird!
With the cold weather coming up, I figured they would need food. I’m guessing this time of year, food for them isn’t really easy to find. I was walking around upstairs saying “What can I use?” “There has to be something here I can make into a feeder!” Vince said “You need to go to Atwoods and get one of those suet things. I said “I’m sure there’s SOMETHING I can find here to use.” He kept telling me I needed to get one of those suet things with seeds in it. Nope . . I have no idea what kind of oil/fat that is. I’m not feeding junk to the bluebirds. You know what Vince was thinking . . she’s crazy!
I found a couple of plastic containers . . thin Rubbermaid things. I asked him if it was possible to punch a hole in those so I could hang them. Nope, not possible. Hmm . . If I hadn’t just cut my finger and almost needed stitches again, I would have cut the hole with a knife!
Then I found this small lidded storage bin in the pantry that’s never been used. It has a hole in one end. Perfect for hanging! I’m going to get more of these next time I go to Walmart. I love that they already have the hole.
Google told me that I could make “food” with bacon grease, cornmeal, chopped grapes or raisins. That works.
I figured bacon grease (which we use all the time!) wasn’t good for the birds with nitrates, nitrates and salt, so I added some of my freshly rendered lard, then I ground some dried corn to make fresh cornmeal, then I chopped some Autumn Grapes from Aldi . . these little birds better come eat that gourmet bird meal I just created for them!
With a pretty pink piece of fabric, I hung the “feeder” up for them. I even positioned it perfectly so they could use one of the wires as a perch!
They say . . if you build it, they will come. Now we wait and see.
Dottie says
I hope they LOVE it!!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Me too. I wish there was a window where I could watch and see if they find it and like it. I know we have cameras I could have put out there but I don’t think Vince wants to mess with it since it’s so cold and we’re going to get so much snow. I guess I’ll be able to tell if they found it once I can go back out there.
Sally W says
I hope the fence means the deer can’t get to it. I put out suet cakes that I buy. I didn’t realize they weren’t healthy.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I don’t know that they aren’t healthy but too much of the processed foods we buy for human consumption aren’t healthy. That’s another reason I make our dogs’ food. The fence is only 6′ tall so I know the deer CAN get in but so far, they have not.