Give the birds in the garden a Christmas present

19:28 24th November 2008

An important part of gardening for many people is being able to look out of the greenhouse at an abundance of wildlife.

In order to ensure that the birds that frequent the nation's gardens stay healthy over winter, the Telegraph has given advice on how to bake them their own little Christmas cake.

But before any over-zealous gardeners start heading out to buy extra brandy, it would be useful to know that the cake is slightly different to the human variety.

The papers advises that a mix is made of wild bird seed, currants and oats, cemented together with lard or suet.

Birds need fat to get them thought the winter so the lard or suet are absolutely essential.

Budding chefs should stay clear of salted or spiced nuts or dried coconut but other kitchen leftovers such as grated cheese, fatty bacon and breadcrumbs can also be added to the mix.

The lard or suet should be fried before adding the dry ingredients. The mixture should then be cooled before being rolled into balls.

The balls are then placed inside empty onion or orange string bags and hung up for the birds to enjoy.