Parent Corner: A Chickadee in Your Palm

Baby Greta Collins with dad, Luke Collins. Photo by Sally Collins.

I keep birdseed in my trunk for emergencies. You never know when you and your child might need the sweet, playful weight of a chickadee on your palm or head.

Visiting the White Cedar Nature Center in Peninsula State Park is a magical experience during the chilly months. Among the branches of the towering spruce trees, a multitude of chickadees flit and flutter, singing their signature song. 

Hold out a handful of black oil sunflower seeds (or rest a handful on your child’s head if they’re feeling silly). Within moments, the birds will swoop in one after another, and the smiles on your family’s faces will come along with them.