Make a hanging bird table

Bird Food

Make your own

Cheap and much appreciated winter bird food. You could pay a few £££'s for ready made "suet balls" or whatever, but I make my own and it takes hardly any time at all.

You will need:

A slab of dripping - this one cost 55p me at the supermarket for 500g (just over 1lb)
Something to mix in with the dripping, you could use nuts or seeds bought in bags for birds, or something like porridge oats will do fine, this 1kg bag cost me about 90p.

Cut half of the dripping and melt gently in a small sauce pan, when it's all liquid add the porridge until it's almost all submerged beneath the liquid fat, it soaks up a lot more than you'd expect (about 1/6th of a 1kg bag of porridge oats per 250g of dripping).

You can add all sorts of stuff to the dripping, plain flour is surprisingly popular with the birds if you have nothing else.

Seeds or nuts sold in bags specifically for birds could be added.

Some left over chilli we had went down very well (birds can't taste chilli apparently).

Pour into a container of some kind and leave to solidify.

I use a container that once had a Chinese takeaway in. Put it in the fridge or somewhere cold for a few hours or overnight.

Remove from the container and chop into chunks 1/2" to 1" in each direction.

Place on newly made bird table.

I usually place some on the ground too as some species like foraging at ground level. You also add some chunks or slabs to hanging mesh bird feeders.

To Buy

Adventurer Premium Seed Feeder 1 feeder

£24.99
A sleek and stylish metal seed feeder in contemporary graphite-grey finish. Specifications: Height 40cm Capacity: 1.1kg Feeding Ports: 4

Challenger 14 inch Peanut Feeder - Silver 1 feeder

£11.99
Designed to withstand the extremes of British weather, the peanut mesh is made from zinc-plated steel and dismantles for easy cleaning. Recommend that they be used in gardens without squirrels. Specifications: Feeder diameter: 6cm (2.4 inches). Length 35cm (14 inches) Capacity: 650g (1.6lb).

Challenger 14 inch Seed Feeder - Silver 1 feeder

£11.99
The Challenger is a traditional, low cost feeder for seed mixes and for use in gardens without squirrels. A high quality plastic feeder, the Challenger is constructed from strong materials and features a robust steel handle. Excellent value for money. New & Improved Perching Ring. Designed for optimum bird feeding comfort & safety. Ports are lipped to minimise the chance of rain getting in. Specifications: Feeder diameter: 6cm (2.4 inches) Length 35cm (14 inches) Capacity: 425g (0.9lb).

Challenger Nyjer Feeder 1 feeder £13.99
Challenger Nyjer Feeder 1 Feeder + 1 bag feed £24.99

Based on the Challenger seed feeder design, but with innovative small ports that stop this fine seed from escaping. Rich in oils, nyjer is popular with species such as Goldfinches and Siskins. Designed to withstand the extremes of British weather, the seed tube is made from UV stabilised polycarbonate. Can be dismantled for easy cleaning. Specifications: Height: 35cm (14 inches). Capacity: 1kg (0.9lb). Feeding Ports: 6

Challenger Seed Feeder - Blue 1 Seed Feeder

£11.99
Challenger feeders are designed to withstand the extremes of British weather, the seed tube is made from UV stabilised polycarbonate. Can be dismantled for easy cleaning. Recommended for use in gardens without squirrels. Specifications: Feeder diameter: 6cm (2.4 inches). Length 35cm Capacity: 425g Feeding ports: 4

Coconut Feeder 1 coconut feeder £5.49
Coconut Feeder 2 coconut feeders + 1 FREE £10.95

Great value. Coconuts filled with suet and seed - perfect for giving birds the enrgy they need over winter months.

Fat Snax Feeding Pack Fat Snax 12 pack £8.99
Fat Snax Feeding Pack Fat Snax 6 pack £5.49

High-energy fat balls, approx. 5cm (2 inches) in diameter, and ideal for all year feeding for a wide variety of birds. Can be hung individually or alternatively use with a Spiral Fat Ball Holder. (Remove netting before use)

Gourmet Robin Blend 3 litres (1.8kg) £12.99
Gourmet Robin Blend 9 litres (5.4kg) £29.99

Containing dried insects and soft fruits, this seed mix has been specifically designed for Robins and other ground feeding birds. Ingredients: sunflower hearts, naked rolled oats, kibbled sunflower hearts, chopped peanuts, raisins, sultanas and dried mealworms. Uses: For table and ground.

Hi-Energy All Season Mix 15 litres (10kg) £24.99
Hi-Energy All Season Mix 6 litres (4.6kg) £14.99

With added calcium grit to aid egg production Are pigeons and doves all too frequent and unwelcome visitors to your garden? This mix excludes wheat, which may help to deter them. Ingredients: black sunflowers seeds, kibbled maize, striped sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, yellow millet, chopped peanuts, pinhead oatmeal, flaked maize and oystershell grit. Uses: For ground, table and feeders.

Hi-Energy Feeder Seed 6 litres (2.8kg)

£12.99
Formulated specifically for clinging bird species, feeder seed is primarily for use in tubular seed feeders (free-flowing in nature to prevent clogging). Ingredients: black sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds, chopped peanuts, millet and pinhead oatmeal. Uses: For ground, table and feeders.

Hi-Energy Quality Peanuts 12 litres (7.8kg) £26.99
Hi-Energy Quality Peanuts 6 litres (3.9kg) £16.99
A simple product, ready-shelled peanuts are popular with a wide variety of garden birds. Note: Do not feed whole peanuts unless they are enclosed in a feeder Uses: For feeders.

Hi-Energy Sunflower Hearts 2 x 6 litres (2 x 3.5kg) £24.99
Hi-Energy Sunflower Hearts 6 litres (3.5kg) £14.99

Sunflower seeds which have been ready de-hulled to reduce mess. Uses: For ground, table and feeders.

Hi-Energy Table Seed 6 litres (3.6kg)

£12.99
A good entry-level seed mix for all-year-round feeding. Suitable for feeding from a bird table or from the ground. Not recommended for use in feeders. Ingredients: chopped peanuts, black sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, wheat, kibbled maize, flaked maize, pinhead oatmeal, yellow millet and oystershell grit. Uses: For table and ground.

Hi-Energy Triple Cake Packs 3 x 1 litre packs £17.99
Hi-Energy Triple Cake Packs 3 x 500ml packs £14.99
These Peanut Cakes are the high calorie foods and are a phenomenal success with garden birds. The cakes are popular with tits, finches,Treecreepers, Goldcrests and Robins. These cakes can be fed either from a hanging position or chopped up on a table. They can also be chopped into small pieces (1cm cubes) and scattered around the edge of your feeding area to give smaller and more timid species (such as Dunnocks, Wrens and Blackbirds) a chance to enjoy them Choose from either 3 x 500ml or 3 x 1 litre cake packs.

Jupiter Wooden Peanut Feeder 1 feeder £16.99
Jupiter Wooden Peanut Feeder 1 feeder + peanuts (6 Litres) £28.99

This lovely peanut feeder is designed with a continuous mesh feeding area that provides excellent drainage and will attract more clinging species to your feeder, including members of the tit family, Siskins and Redpolls. To refill this feeder simply lift the slate roof. Specifications: Height: 21cm Width: 21cm Depth: 18.5cm Capacity: 800g Buy with 6 Litres Peanuts and save £2.99!

Mealworm Feeder 1 feeder

£7.99
Place your mealworms inside this polypropylene feeder with an adjustable roof to keep the rain off the food. Birds can then feed easily and safely on this high protein snack. The Mealworm Feeder is supplied in 2 parts for easy self assembly.

Mealworms - for Wildlife 3 x 40g tubs (1500+ worms) £7.99
Mealworms - for Wildlife 6 x 40g tubs (3000+ worms) £11.99

Live mealworms are on the best protein sources for your garden birds, especially chicks and fledglings. Will attract species such as Wrens, Sparrows, Robins and Tits. Can be stored in a garage or utility room. Will be sent under separate cover.

Mesh Feeder 1 mesh feeder

£4.49
This popular and cost effective feeder is ideal for use with our Peanut Cake Squares. Made from mild steel with a rust-resistant powder coating. Note: Peanut cake square not included. Size: 13cm (5 inches) x 11cm (4 inches) x 4cm (1 inch).

No-Waste Food 12 litres (8kg) £19.99
No-Waste Food 6 litres (4kg) £12.99
A good blend for a variety of birds, the No-Waste Feed is a mixture of de-hulled sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, chopped nuts and chopped cereals.. Uses: For ground, table & feeders.

Nyjer Seed 12 litres (7kg) £24.99
Nyjer Seed 6 litres (3.5kg) £14.99

Nyjer seed is rich in oil and extremely fine, resembling sunflower seed. Loved by Goldfinches and Siskins. Uses: With Nyjer Challenger Feeder only

Peanut Cake Blocks 1 block - Fruit 'n' Nut £4.99
Peanut Cake Blocks 1 block - Peanut + Insects £4.99
Peanut Cake Blocks 1 block - Robin Treat £4.99
Peanut Cake Blocks 1 block - Very Berry £4.99

Peanut Cake Blocks are a great source of essential fats and calories for your garden birds. Available in a variety of flavours, these 300g treats are popular with tits, finches, treecreepers, goldcrests and robins, and we also have a variety specifically devoted to the declining starling. These cakes can be fed either from a hanging feeder, such as our Mesh Feeder, or chopped up on a table. They can also be chopped into small pieces (1cm cubes) and scattered around the edge of your feeding area to give smaller and more timid species (such as Dunnocks, Wrens and Blackbirds) a chance to enjoy them.