For you birdlovers.........

[beelady]

I hope you dont mind me chiming in here.. lol i have a photo of an unusual color mutation for a cardinal..
she seems to be hanging around here for the suet cakes I make.. the Pied mutation in wild birds is fairly rare.. only becomming common.. like in cockatiels.. when in bred and line bred to seat that mutation a bit more in the genetic makeup .. (used to breed cockatiels)
also there is a cream color make robin . almost white that hangs around this one amish ladies house.. tho she said she has not seen him for a year so he might be gone for good..

[Don Perusse]

Ooooooh, great shots and such a beautiful bird. Leave it to nature to show unusual things. I know this is off topic but do you make your own suet or is that store bought? I have a lot of cardinals but they don't seem to take to suet??????

[beelady]

i buy fat from the local butchers and grind it then cook it out..(render it) personally i dont care for the store bought suet cakes they are spendy for what they have and.. as it seems sticky at times.. and ive even smelled one that was sorta rancid..
if you get fat from the butchers.. use beef if you canthe i guess leaf fat.. or kidney fat..( most of mine was kidney fat) is hard even when room temp (they used to make candles from this fat ) and it makes a great cake that is not sticky or icky. after i render it.. i take a bucket of seed.. and i pour the fat in. mixing well.. adding more seed untill its well coverd but not pooling to the top with fat. i then put it in cake/pie or other pans (you can even put it in molds so they will fit in your suet cake holders....and let cool.. then i tip them over.. and freze in the frezer till needed.. the birds love it.. and i have even had harris sparrows.. and other birds come that normally would not touch my free flowing seed. they seem to like the fat too.. especially during the winter cold..

[Don Perusse]

beelady - Thanks, I think I will try. Someone else told me besides the rendered fat they also add finely ground corn, peanut butter or even raisens. Retired, so gives me something to do besides.

[beelady]

lol if you can get freze dried mealworms.. the wood peckers and jays love those.. im in a way retired also tho a bit early lol only 34-35 but after 2 back surgeries.. 2 knee surgeries.lol funny way how i got hurt.. i can still do alot of things.. just in slo mo now compared to what i used to do.

[quiltingwacko]

I love birds. Enjoyed the pictures. We don't get cardinals in Oregon but we do get leukocystic birds sometimes. There was an Oregon Junco with a pied head at the feeder a few days ago. I just might try your suet recipe. Carol