Getting Into Hand

Day 29: When the Evening Grosbeaks are here, they routinely come 'round to the shepherd's-hook in the front flower bed to glare at me when I'm on the computer and the feeder has gone empty. The hummers and 'dee-dees have also mastered getting my attention in the same way, and some of them will go so far as to tap on the window with their beaks if I don't happen to notice them in a timely manner. Late yesterday afternoon, one of the Nuthatches perched there for several minutes, and when I failed to respond promptly, he began a pattern of flying gently from the hook to beat his wings against the glass. It didn't matter that I was busy with something I didn't want to leave. No, I got up and filled the feeder. But it didn't end there. The bird didn't see that I'd put out more seed. When I sat back down at the computer, he again began fluttering against the window. This time, I went out, walked around to the front of the house with a handful of seed, stuck it right under his little beaky and then went and put it in the feeder. He followed me, now aware that I was doing my job. Just a few minutes ago, he (or another Nuthatch...I can't tell them apart) was at it again. "This is getting out of hand," I said, but I was wrong. I was very wrong. It wasn't getting OUT of hand. It was getting IN hand when I stepped out with the food. Nuthatch, for the first time ever, perched on my fingers and accepted seed from my palm. We've been working toward this for a long time, and I have to tell you, it brought tears to my eyes to be gifted with such trust.