Winter is coming now and November brings cold temperatures and hungry birds. In this extract from Findus, Food and Fun, Findus shows us how to make sure birds have enough to eat all through winter.
What Findus made in November
Findus invented a way to feed blue tits and great tits, a suet bell. Here’s how he made it.
Thread some strong twine through the drain hole of a flowerpot. Tie a knot big enough to plug the hole. You should now be able to lift the pot with the twine. Next, put coconut fat or lard in a stainless steel pot over a saucepan of water. Heat the water gently until the fat melts. Make a mix of wild birdseeds, sunflower seeds, crispbread, raisins and nuts then stir it into the melted fat. Pour the mixture into the flowerpot and put in a cool place to set. Tie some more knots in the twine to give the birds footholds. Hang the pot a little distance from the house, where you can see it from a window. If you sit still you will have a great view of the birds. The suet bell lets the smaller birds feed undisturbed by the bigger birds who would otherwise grab everything.
Findus, Food and Fun has been reprinted and updated as A Year With Findus.
A Year With Findus
Seasonal crafts and nature activities
Eva-Lena Larsson, Kennert Danielsson and Sven Nordqvist
Brimming with Sven Nordqvist’s ingenious illustrations, here is a craft and activity book that will get you up and active. Read more…
