November 24th, 2010

So, you’ve read That Chickadee Feeling by Frank Glew.  In this book, a child gets a wonderful feeling from a chickadee eating sunflower seeds out of her hand.  You really want a chickadee to eat sunflower seeds out of your hand.  What do you do?  How do you start? 

It’s not that hard.  You just need a little bit of patience.

Step 1: Attach a container of sunflower seeds to a tree, or a post, or your back porch.  It works best if there are some branches or bushes close by where the birds will feel safe.  Or put it close to another bird feeder you already have out.

Step 2: Give the chickadees some time to find the seeds.  After a few days, if you don’t see any chickadees coming to your container, move the container.  Squirrels will come too.  Don’t worry about the squirrels.  Fill your container every day.

Step 3: Once the chickadees are coming to your little feeder, put a few sunflower seeds in your hand, and place your hand over the feeder.  Be patient.  Be still.  The birds are nervous about this.  You are nervous about this.  A chickadee can’t hurt you.  Once you get one brave chickadee to land on your hand, you have a new friend.  The chickadee will fly away with a seed or two and either eat them or store them for later.  There is a very good chance that a minute later, that same chickadee will be back for more.

Once the chickadees are comfortable coming to your hand, you don’t need to have your hand right over the container.  However, put something over the container so that the chickadees will come to your hand instead of going to it.  Then invite your friends and family over to share the feeling.  Good luck!