Blue Bird Treat DIY Project

I feed all sorts of birds but the blue birds are one of my winter favorites. I've written several posts about growing meal worms for them. I started buying little peanut butter balls packaged as a bird treat. They are a little expensive, so I set out to make my own. The experiment was a success and the Blue Birds, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Titmice and others gobble them up the minute I put them out. Following is my recipe:

Mix together in a large bowl the following.
2 parts Plain (not self rising) yellow corn meal
1 part freeze dries meal worms (available at most Walmart stores, Tractor Supply or here http://www.exoticnutrition.com/driedmealworms.html
1 part chunky peanut butter
Mix well, pat into a suitable container, score into serving size chunks and place in the freezer to set. Break apart and store in the refrigerator.

Ingredients ready to mix

Mix to this consistency

Ready to freeze

Not only Blue Birds but all the birds in my yard love this treat. I also made a suet/treat feeder from a carry out meal container. It is pictured below. I used two old hanging basket wires to hang it from a shepherds hook on the deck where I can watch from my window. The Lucite feeder with the cover came from Wild Birds Unlimited and I've had it for years. It is designed especially for live worms. Read how I grow them here
 http://www.tipsforgardeningonline.com/2009/03/worms-in-basement-part-2.html


Here are some of the birds enjoying the peanut butter. The Turkeys aren't after the peanut butter but we love watching them scratch for bugs in the fallen leaves. We have seen as many as 7 in our front yard.

Homemade Suet Feeder 

Blue Bird

Woodpecker

Tufted Titmouse

Wild Turkeys