Fill the trees with fat cake bird feeders

Having a selection of bird feeders hanging in your garden is a perfect way to draw in the local birds, and many of them are easy to make. One of the simplest forms of bird feeder are fat cakes. These high energy pots of fat, seed and fruit make ideal food sources for garden birds, especially in the winter months when other food is scarce.

Fat cakes can either be made in containers, to be hung from trees, or simply molded into shape in a tin or an old egg tray and placed on a bird table once they’re set. Kids will find it exciting to see a bird eating from their feeder. While you’re watching them is a perfect opportunity to talk about the different birds you see, where they live, and the types of food they like to eat, engaging children with wildlife at an early age.

You will need:

lard – softened to room temperature
birdseed – whatever type is most suitable for your garden birds
dried fruit
grated cheese
peanuts
string – cut long enough to create a loop
container – such as a plant pot or empty yoghurt pot
mixing bowl

Step one

Attach a loop of string to your container. If you’re using a plant pot, thread the string through one of the holes in the base. If you’re using a yoghurt pot or other type of container, you’ll need to punch a hole first using a pencil or knitting needle. Wrap the string around the side of the container before tying so it hangs sideways and angled so it won’t gather rainwater.

Step two

Chop the softened lard into pieces and place it into the mixing bowl.

Step three

Add the birdseed, dried fruit, cheese and peanuts to the bowl and squish it into the lard. You’ll need two parts dry ingredients to one part fat to make your bird cake a manageable consistency.