PRESS RELEASE

29 November 2006
Cheshire Wildlife Trust to provide a Christmas Feast for Birds

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is hoping to sprinkle some festive joy amongst the region’s feathered friends by cooking up a special seasonal treat for birds this Christmas.

Winter can cause a wide range of problems for birds including frozen water sources, such as pools, ponds and lakes, and a lack of food and warm shelter. To help combat some of these pressures, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is encouraging people to make a Christmas Pudding especially for birds, which includes a few seasonal kitchen delicacies.

Sue Tatman, Conservation Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, says, “The pudding can be made with lard, suet or dripping, wild bird seeds and any other seasonal kitchen scraps thrown in for goodwill. It is not only a good way of helping the region’s birds to survive the harsh winter months by providing a nourishing meal, but its is also fun and easy to make and a great way of attracting a wide variety of birds into the garden.”

To make your very own Christmas pudding for birds, Cheshire Wildlife Trust has provided some simple step-by-step instructions below:

Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Christmas Pudding (for birds)

Ingredients:
500g fat (lard, suet or dripping),
250g wild bird seed,
250g of any combination of peanuts (not salted),
kitchen scraps (cake, bread, fruit), dried fruit.
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Serves: a garden full of birds.

1. On a low heat in either a microwave or a saucepan, slowly melt the fat until it begins to soften (avoid making too runny: You need a robust texture so the other ingredients stick, so don’t over-heat the fat). YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD BE SUPERVISED.

2. When the fat takes a liquid form, add all the ingredients and stir together until the fat coats it and it appears quite solid.

3. Before the mixture cools, put into the container from which you want the birds to feed, this could be half a coconut shell, a yoghurt or margarine tub or smothered onto a fir cone.

4. Hang or place the containers where you want the birds to feed, and watch as the birds enjoy.

Ends