COLUMN: Ask a naturalist – bird feeding fun

     The holiday season and winter vacation is upon us and some of us will have children or grandchildren who might claim to be “bored.” You might ask “What are some fun and educational nature related things we can do with the kids?” Even if the snow does not show, here are some fun bird feeder activities the whole family can work on together.

     Make some bread and cut out ornaments for the birds. Instead of tossing out that old stale bread, grab some cookie cutters and cut out holiday shapes. Slather old bagels with peanut butter or Crisco and roll in bird seed. For those kids and adults who are a little more patient, use needles and string to string popcorn and cranberries. Hang your beautiful natural garland and cut out ornaments in tree or shrub for the birds to enjoy.

     Use your holiday cookie ornaments to make gelatin and bird seed ornaments for the birds. Hang in your tree outside. Ingredients include: 1/2 cup water, 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin, 3 tablespoons corn syrup, 3/4 cup flour, 4 cups bird seed, and cooking spray. How to Make: Heat water, gelatin and corn syrup together over a low heat. No need to boil. Mix flour and seed together and then slowly add to gelatin mixture. While the mixture is cooling, lay out parchment paper on a table or counter. Spray your cookie cutters with cooking spray. Fill the cookie cutters with the gelatin mixture, pressing in the mixture tightly. Before you remove the ornament, use a straw or toothpick to poke a hole through the ornament (for hanging). You can leave a straw section in place while it cools to ensure a clear hole. Remove from cookie cutters and let dry for several hours. Once dry, you can attach ribbon or string and hang out for the birds!

     Have access to pinecones? Use pinecones, string, soy butter, sun butter, or peanut butter and bird seed to make pine cone bird feeders for your birds. These also make great gifts! Tie a string to the base of the pine cone. Slather the entire pine cone in your soy/sun/peanut butter. Roll the covered pine cone in bird seed. Hang your pine cone birdfeeder outside for the birds.

     When you eat an orange, cut it in half and hollow out the peel. Punch a hole in each side of the orange skin and tie on a string to both sides. Fill your hanging orange half with bird seed and hang out for the birds.

     Make a suet/peanut butter log feeder for the birds. Find a 10-14 inch circumference sized section of log about as big around as a peanut butter container. Drill one-inch diameter ½ inch to 1-inch-deep holes scattered around your log section. Attach a medium sized eye screw to the top of your log.  Attach a string or wire to the eye screw. Mix peanut butter, soy butter, sun butter, or melted suet with bird seed and fill all of the holes in the log. Hang outside for the birds to enjoy!

     Make a suet ball or suet block for the birds. Ask your local butcher for beef fat, tallow, or lard. Melt the fat/tallow/lard and mix with bird seed. You also mix in dried fruit, mealworms, or nuts and berries. Shape into a ball or block. You can also use cool whip containers or square plastic lunchmeat containers to form circles or blocks of your suet. Place in a freezer to store or cool. Place into an onion sack or suet cage at your bird feeding station and enjoy the birds as they have their holiday feast!

 As you spend time with family and friends join us on December 23, 27 and 30 at the Central Park Nature Center from 1 to 3 p.m. for the Central Park Nature Center Winter Holiday Open House! Make several winter bird feeders and crafts to take home, enter a coloring contest, take a digital scavenger hunt challenge, and view the Nature Center exhibits. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies provided by the Friends of Jones County Conservation and Nature Center. Don’t miss the meet a critter and live animal feeding time at 1:30 p.m. each day. For more information visit https://www.jonescountyiowa.org/events-programs.