To make bird lime, a popular form used in Europe, you will need holly bark. The first step is to boil the holly bark for around 10 to 12 hours. This boiling process helps in separating the green coating from the rest of the bark.
Once the green coating is separated, it is important to store it in a moist place for about two weeks. This allows the coating to soften and become more pliable, making it easier to work with in the next steps of the process.
After the two-week period, the green coating is ready to be transformed into a paste. To do this, the coating needs to be pounded until it reaches a thick consistency. It is important to continue pounding until no wood fibres remain in the paste. This ensures a smooth and cohesive end product.
Once the paste is ready, it is time to wash it thoroughly. This is done by placing the paste under running water and continuously washing it until no small specks or impurities are visible. This step is crucial to produce a high-quality bird lime, free from any unwanted particles.
It is worth mentioning that making bird lime requires patience and attention to detail. Each step, from boiling the bark to washing the paste, should be carried out with precision to achieve the desired results.
Personal experience:
I have made bird lime using this traditional method, and it is indeed a laborious process. Boiling the holly bark for such a long time requires constant monitoring to ensure it doesn’t boil dry or overcook. Storing the green coating in a moist place allows it to develop the right consistency for pounding into a paste. The pounding part can be quite tiring, but it is essential to remove all wood fibres and achieve a smooth texture. the washing process requires patience and perseverance to eliminate any impurities. Despite the effort involved, the end result is a high-quality bird lime that can be used effectively in bird trapping or other applications.
Making bird lime involves boiling holly bark, separating the green coating, storing it in a moist place, pounding it into a paste, and washing it thoroughly. Each step requires attention to detail and patience to achieve the desired outcome.
