One of the things I love about where we live are the many birds. I will often set out seed or suet for them to enjoy.

I do buy suet blocks from the store, but sometimes if I have the ingredients on hand I will make my own. They are easy to make and don’t take much time.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups lard
• 3/4 cups peanut butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup corn meal (I have read that masa could work better since it doesn’t tend to sink while the block is hardening)
• 1.5 cups mix of bird seed, scratch, & black oil sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup grated apple

HOW TO

1. Using a pot on the stove, melt the lard and nut butter.

2. When the lard and nut butter have turned to liquid, add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

3. Pour the mixture into a half gallon carton. Place the carton upright in the fridge to harden.

4. When the liquid mix has turned to a solid, tear off the carton and cut into individual blocks.

5. Extra blocks can be placed between wax paper and put in the freezer until they are ready to be used.

FEEDING OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

Place blocks in a suet feeder and watch the birds flock to it.

The blocks could also be given to your chickens as a treat.

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This was my 8th year counting birds for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Some years I venture out to find birds at wetlands or local parks. This year, I only counted birds at home. We had a little snow, which I think kept some birds in hiding. Also, I didn’t get out as often as I sometimes do. So, although I spotted a number of birds, they were the typical ones that hang out closer to our house than off in the trees.

Dark-eyed Junco

I may be wrong, but I feel like we used to have far more Junco’s in the winter than we have had the last couple years. I did see a couple, though, during the GBBC.

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Click here to read more about theses sparrows

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

To read more about them, click here

Varied Thrush

We don’t see these feathered friends very often. But I know there are a couple that visit us and I was fortunate to see one during the GBBC.

Ravens & American Crow

I saw both Ravens and Crows flying overhead a couple of the GBBC days.

Steller’s Jay

Gray Jay

To read more about one of my favorite birds, click here

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Another year, another Great Backyard Bird Count.

Typically I do a combination of counting birds in public areas, as well as around our home. This year I only counted birds near our house. Everyday I pretty much saw the same species of birds. A number of them were the same birds that have been around awhile. But, the Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-capped Chickadees, and Hairy Woodpecker were welcome visitors.

The birds I saw this year were:

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Click here to read more about theses sparrows

Spotted Towhee

To read more about them, click here

Dark-eyed Junco

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Gray Jay

To read more about one of my favorite birds, click here

American Robin

They just recently returned.

Black-capped Chickadee

These chickadees were a welcome surprise on day 1 of the GBBC.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Hairy Woodpecker

Lately I haven’t been out birding as much as I would like, so this was a great opportunity to get out and enjoy it.

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The bird I picked for March is the Gray Jay. They have a bit of a nasty reputation for being food thieves, but I like them anyway.

I’m not going to lie, the majority of the reason I like them is because they aren’t too frightened of me. I can get close-ish for photos. They don’t pay much attention to me and continue with whatever they were doing.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: black/dark gray, white/light gray in front
THROAT: white/light gray
BELLY: white/light gray
WINGS: dark gray
TAIL: long, dark gray
BACK: dark gray
BILL: short, dark
EYE: black

HABITAT

CONIFEROUS FORESTS: Gray Jays can be found from Alaska through most of Canada, down the mountainous areas of the western US, as well as the NE section of the US.

MIGRATION: Gray Jays don’t migrate much. Sometimes they will move to lower elevations during the winter, which may or may not explain why I only see these birds at our house during the winter months.

FEEDING

Gray Jays are omnivores, eating a wide variety of food including insects, berries, small rodents and tree cones. I usually see them at suet blocks I have set out.

They are great at food storage. They use their sticky saliva to meld food together in little blobs. Then, they stick the blob on tree branches for later.

Gray Jays also like to hang out where humans hang out, like campsites, and steal food. This has earned them the nickname camp robber.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Crows & Jays
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Perisoreus canadensis

I often spot Gray Jays with a few friends. They typically hang out in a group of about 5 or 6.

I also see them with the Steller’s Jays that live near us. I’m not sure if they choose to hang out near the Steller’s Jays because they are friendly with each other. Or, more likely, if it’s because they’re both after the goods I set out.

PHOTO GALLERY

Happy Birding!

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