Wise words about birds
November/December 2007
Q: I’m not sure what to do with my bird feeders. Is it necessary to continue feeding throughout the winter? Are there any rules with respect to bird feeding and seasonal changes?
A: There are no hard and fast rules, except to keep feeding areas sanitary and prevent the food from getting moldy. Feed birds as long as you enjoy feeding them. Birds change patterns and diets seasonally; the numbers and types that show up will change.
Backyard birds are opportunistic. They take advantage of feeders, but seldom depend on such food. Many people feed year round to see young birds with their parents, but other people discontinue during the summer because birds visit less often (many switch to insects and fruit) and to avoid raccoon problems.
Feeding with oil sunflower seed is relatively inexpensive and is eaten by most native birds, while less favored by house sparrows, starlings and blackbirds. Some people limit suet use to winter, since it melts and goes rancid easily in the heat.
Q: I’m looking for some variations on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey recipe. I’ll be cooking a wild turkey this year and would like to do something a little different.
A: Here are a couple of recipes. The first is sure to induce a post-dinner nap; the second is for those who prefer a lighter meal.
Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
- 14 slices of bacon, divided
- 1 cup of onion, chopped
- ¼ cup of celery, chopped
- ½ cup of water
- 1 (8-ounce) package of cornmeal stuffing mix
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- ½ cup of hot water
- 1 cup of dry red wine, divided
- 1 (10- to 12-pound) wild or domestic turkey
Fry eight slices of bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, crumble and set aside. Sauté onion and celery in bacon drippings. When vegetables are tender, add ½ cup water and simmer for five minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and crumbled bacon. Dissolve bouillon cube in ½ cup hot water. Add ½ cup red wine to bouillon. Add bouillon-wine liquid to stuffing mixture and stuff turkey.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Transfer turkey to roasting pan. Lay four slices of bacon across the breast, and wrap a slice of bacon around each leg. Cover pan with foil; then place lid on pan. Bake in oven for 4 ½ hours. Remove cover and foil. Pour remaining wine over turkey. Baste every 10 minutes while cooking an additional 40 minutes. Yield: 12 to 15 servings.
Turkey Waldorf Salad
- 2⁄3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper
- 2 cups of cooked turkey, diced
- 2 red apples, cored and diced
- 2⁄3 cup of celery, sliced
- ½ cup of walnuts, chopped
Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add turkey, apples and celery; toss to coat well. Cover; chill. Just before serving, sprinkle with walnuts.
Recipes courtesy of the National Wild Turkey Federation Web site: www.nwtf.org.