Here’s our suet recipe!
Okay, after much delay, allow me to finally post this recipe for the suet we made a few weeks ago. All our regulars seem to enjoy it (titmice, chickadees, Carolina wrens) and it even attracted the downy woodpeckers we were hoping for…plus some squirrels we weren’t. Our bothersome mockingbird liked it, too. I need to give credit to Joseph Pavelchak in Robbinsville, New Jersey, because it was a recipe that he sent in to Birds and Blooms magazine. That’s where we saw it. Anyway, we modified his recipe slightly, so it’s not the same, but he still deserves the credit. Thanks, Joseph!
1 cup lard (we used fat scraps from a ham)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats (we used a little less)
2 cups cornmeal (again we went with less)
1 cup flour
1 cup birdseed (we wished we had added more)
Melt lard and peanut butter. Add sugar to the melted mix. Combine remaining ingredients. Form blocks and then freeze.
So, what recipes have you all used successfully? Any key ingredients that this one leaves out? Is there a good suet recipe for bluebirds? Can you add something to deter the squirrels? I’d love to hear from you…we’re making our next batch soon! Dave
P.S. Our oldest son took both of the titmouse pictures above. We put a glass pie plate full of seed right outside our back door, then he patiently waited and used a tiny tripod to get these great shots! The one on the right makes me think he’s deep in thought on which seed to choose. “Hmmmm…any chocolate-filled ones left?”
Besides the cute father-son hand holding in the picture above, note the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Champions sweatshirt in the background…go Cowboys!
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Comments
Small world…. Joe and his wife were clients of mine when they relocated out of Robbinsville this year. I am going to hunt down his email address and forward him this article.
Have a wonderful Holiday season!
Good shots of the birds.Like father,like son.That little boy of yours is pretty cute.
Blessings,Ruth
Dave, Love the pictures of your Tufted… They are such great birds to photograph.
I don’t know if I’ll ever take time to make my own suet—but if I do, I’ll try your recipe. I have printed it out!!! Thanks!
Your newest birder is precious… Looks like big brother will be a great baby-sitter!!!!
Betsy
I think the tufted titmouse is a little picky about the seeds he chooses – just like the chickadees! Cute baby photos!
Tina, Eagles?! Ugh…and I liked you so much! There may be a Dallas-Philly showdown in two weeks with a playoff spot on the line. Could be a great game…
Desiree, too funny! I’d love to hear from you (and Joe) again if you track him down. Thanks!
Ruth, thank you. He does love taking pictures. Digital cameras are so good for that, I think, because kids get the immediate reinforcement of seeing what they just shot and having unlimited “film” to use!
Mavis, if you do and get some good traffic, please send a picture over. Are you guys heading to Michigan for the holidays?
Betsy, you’re retired, so you have all the time in the world, right! Just cancel a waterfall trip and cook up some suet. With all the woodpeckers you have, they’ll go crazy ovr it!!! :-)
Sweet Bay, thanks! I’ll have to show him your site with all the cool flower pics you’ve done. Artistry abounds in this group!
Shelley, maybe one day this winter we’ll get that bird to eat the seed out of our hand! Any luck yet with your titmice feeding? I’m envious of your success with the chickadees…and all your snow!!!
I think you may have a little photographer coming up – great job with the titmouse pics! Boy, if they really did like chocolate filled seeds – we’d never be able to afford feeding them (or we just might eat them ourselves – haha!)
I’ve had no luck with bluebirds coming to suet – some people have, though.
Sweet, sweet baby!!!
Hi Dave
I just copied your recipe for suet and will attempt this with my 4 year old son this evening. I know he will love this.
Our home is set back in the woods and the various birds I see are truly amazing. One that I recall was a woodpecker, but not the typical kind. This bird was very long, had a very unique sound (and loud), a serious mohawk and a bright red head.
Do you know this species?
Diana
Hi Diana, and thanks for the visit! It sounds like a pileated woodpecker to me. See if this is what you’ve been seeing:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/183/_/Pileated_Woodpecker.aspx
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Gee Dave, I think you are being replaced as lead photographer..those are really nice shots of that mocking bird! I will have to give your suet recipe a try..sound like a winner…guess we will have to have some bacon..my hubby will love that! Ok, so I am all ooohs and ahhhs on your new son. He is so adorable.. but then you had to mention those cowboys..we Philadelphia fans have a difficult time with anything cowboy!! lol!!