Please welcome guest blogger Aimee Tomcho. Aimee, Conservation Biologist with Audubon North Carolina who is currently working on Golden-winged Warbler habitat creation on private lands as a part of the federal Working Lands initiative. If you would like to contact Aimee, you can email her at atomcho@audubon.org.

Up in the mountains of western North Carolina, we have only had three days where the thermometer mercury rose above freezing this past January. When the months are especially cold, I like to be sure my bird feeders are filled.

Though tirelessly resourceful, our small, feathered, over-wintering friends readily gather around the gift of sustenance. I am always amazed how quickly Carolina Chickadees come to a new food source. Even if you haven’t provided birdseed to backyard birds in the past, you are sure to attract them within a day or two of putting up a feeder. Doing so is a great way to engage the younger generation in observing birds.

Watching birds flit about my yard brings me such joy, and I have two budding biologists, ages 7 and 9, who also love to watch birds. They delight in seeing the bright red of a male Northern Cardinal flash by the window or provide a splash of color in a leafless tree.

It happens to be that these sweet young birders have been home from school more days than I can count this winter. Sometimes, I picture myself as one of those tirelessly resourceful birds, yet this mama knows she gets weary much more quickly than a chickadee! With need comes ingenuity– and Pinterest. With the help of my budding biologists, we found a fast and fun recipe for Birdseed Wreaths, a variation of the seed bells you find in stores. This particular snow day was going to be for the birds, literally.

Honestly, these bird feeders are so easy to make that I encourage everyone to try it.

Here’s the recipe:

Supplies:

• 1 bundt cake pan with multiple small cavities
• ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 cups birdseed
• Pan spray
• Wax paper

Instructions:

1. Generously spray your pan with oil and set aside.
2. Mix flour, water and corn syrup together. Add birdseed. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty; they make the best mixers for this recipe!
3. Add handfuls of mix to each cavity of cake pan.
4. Note: You can freestyle your form or use cookie cutters too.
5. Press firmly into place and allow the mix to set overnight.
6. Lay out a sheet of wax paper. Turn your cake pan over and give it a firm tap. The feeder wreaths should come right out!

Tie a ribbon to each wreath, and hang it from a tree or gift it to your neighbor. A Tufted Titmouse will thank you for it!