I cannot believe that, until a couple of weeks ago, I did not know that there were places in Northeast Ohio where I can go and experience wild birds landing and eating seeds right out of my hand!

I have always been a lover of animals, and I hold a special place in my mind and heart for birds. As a young child, I found comfort in climbing trees—sitting quietly and talking to the birds in those trees.

They seemed to have intelligence and a curiosity in how they looked at me and would almost

inquisitively tilt their tiny heads. Having one of those adorable, smart little creatures land on my hand would have meant the absolute world to me.

Eventually, at age nine or 10, my parents took me to pick out my very own bird. He was a multi-colored parakeet that I named Woodstock, and I devoted a majority of my free time to training and loving that little bird.

He was trained to only fly in the kitchen and family room. I taught him to say several words and give kisses. When I played the piano he sang and danced around on the lower keys, bouncing up and down and turning in circles. To connect and bond with this funny, intelligent, and charming creature was such a special and formative experience for me.

When I read about hand-feeding the winter birds at Nature Center at the Cleveland Metroparks Brecksville Reservation, I immediately looked at my calendar to find the time to check it out. I was skeptical about how successful the outing would be last Sunday, Jan. 5 when I arrived with my 10-year-old and 23-year-old daughters.

Tufted Titmous When we arrived, a Metroparks volunteer poured some black oil sunflower seeds into our hands, and we joined a small group of people already gathered.

We all waited, quiet and motionless as beautiful Black Capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice flew around in the trees and branches above and in front of us—looking around with those familiar head tilts, assessing the situation, and deciding who was safe and where to land next for some food.

And those wild winter birds did land, cautiously but repeatedly, in all of our hands to eat the black seeds. Of the three of us, my 10-year-old’s hand was deemed safe and chosen by the birds to feed.

My 10-year-old expressed later how happy it made her when the bird landed on her. When asked what she was thinking, she responded that she looked at its little eyes and thought it was so cute that she just wanted to squeeze it tight and keep it forever!

But she knew she couldn’t move or make a sound, or the bird would be scared and fly away. I was impressed by how quiet she stayed.

When it was finally my turn, it felt like a spiritual communion of sorts. It was a great privilege to be a part of their world and share it with them for a series of fleeting moments. I had to contain my pure elation and quell the gasp that wanted to leap out of my throat when a Tufted Titmouse first landed in my hand.

A different sort of song and dance, perhaps, than my experience with my beloved pet parakeet from my childhood, but a thrilling connection, nonetheless.

To have a wild animal not just close by yet crossing that barrier of touch usually limited to domesticated farm animals and pets, is nothing short of magical to me.

All you need to feel the magic for yourself are some seeds and a steady hand.