One robin fed, at least

At least I managed to do somebody a good turn today.

There was a pitiful little robin hanging around the snowy patio, looking like something you'd get on a Christmas card here.


Yeah, that's not our robin, who still has some juvenile coloration anyway.

Since we thought we were going to be moving, I didn't start setting out food for the birds in late summer, not wanting to get them dependent on our feeders and then have us leave them in the lurch. But, on short notice, I crushed up an oatcake (the extra oil == good) and some sunflower and pumpkin seeds to scatter around.

Sie came back around and nibbled away. I think I'll get some more birdseed and maybe make some peanut butter balls.

If we're getting snow now, it looks like we're in for another harsh winter, and they're still trying to recover from the last one (Fear for Britain's birds this winter). Also, from Birdwatch: Gardens prove ice havens for birds. Good thing the cats aren't wanting to go outside in the snow, since our patio microclimate is almost snow-free, and it has been attracting other birds. I meant to get out there and put out some kind of food earlier this morning.

Making sure one robin gets some energy-dense food may not make a huge difference in the scheme of things, but it makes both the robin and me feel better. *sigh* Gusdi idadadvhni, and all that.

Birdy peanut butter balls

I went ahead and made some peanut butter balls. We didn't have nearly as much peanut butter left as I thought--looks like another thing to pick up later (along with coffee and birdseed)! But there was about 3/4 cup of mixed crunchy and smooth, which made four medium-sized balls. So that wasn't too bad. We also have the 96% peanut kind (cheap from Lidl, actually), so no watching out for hydrogenated vegetable oil. Not eating it myself if I can help it, not feeding it to the birds--and a lot of the commercial "suet" balls I've seen are made from it!

I just put the peanut butter in a bowl, added about a tablespoon of coconut oil for variety (not really necessary), then stirred in enough rolled oats and cornmeal to make it about the consistency of softish bread dough. I also threw in some more slightly crushed sunflower and pumpkin seeds, for variety. Then I rolled it into balls and coated them in some of the same mixture that went into them. It took maybe 5 minutes, including rummaging in the pantry trying to find stuff good for them to eat. (They're not getting my seriously overpriced quinoa, nope; I'm cheap enough not to cook nearly as much of it as I want for myself. :-| )

Now they're sitting in the fridge to harden up again enough to play MacGyver and figure out how to hang a couple of them up outside. :) There's a mesh orange bag lurking in there, so I won't have to rig something up out of garden twine after all.

After working with that dough, now I'm wanting to make some peanut butter oatmeal cookies once we have more peanut butter. *g*