The cold weather is exceptionally dangerous for our feathered garden friends, but there are a number of quick activities you can do at home to give them a helping hand.
My kids loved helping me make these on their school snow-day.
Fat Cakes – I bet you have everything in the cupboard already!
Birds love fat cakes at this time of year as they help to keep them warm and give an easy access array of nutrients that they’ll be struggling to find in the snow by themselves.
All you need is lard or suet, string, an old yoghurt pot, and cupboard leftovers of bread, seeds, and nuts.
As soon as we’d finished lunch, we washed out our yoghurt pots then mixed together all the dry ingredients in a bowl and bound together with the melted fat.
Next we (well I!) cut a hole in the bottom of the yoghurt pot and threaded through the string tying a not at the end to secure it. The kids then filled up their pots with their cake mixture and popped them in the fridge to set.
Voila! Quick and easy Fat Cakes ready to hang out in the garden.
Next is the Warm Bedding – and you already have it lying around!
Another element that our birds are struggling to find right now is the warm grass and moss needed to keep their nests warm and insulated.
An easy tip is hanging it out for them – literally!
Next time you’re brushing your dog or cat, simply collect up their loose fur – which you would likely just pop into the bin anyway – and instead peg it out on the washing line and leave for the birds to gather. They may not be able to show their appreciation but I bet there’ll be a few extra tweets coming your way!
Petstoreo – Every pet has a story, we’d love to hear your’s!