During the winter month, visitors are invited to Beech Creek Gardens to experience the thrill of hand-feeding wild birds out of the palm of their hands.

We were excited about the opportunity to feed birds and the experience was amazing! When we first arrived, the volunteer explained what to do and gave us each a handful of sunflower seeds and crushed-up peanuts. She mentioned that the mixture is like candy to the birds.

Because the birds are most active when the temperature is cold and there is snow on the ground, the conditions were perfect when we visited. We waited less than a minute for the first bird to land on our hands. It was amazing to feel the little bird's feet on your fingers.

The setup is perfect for kids because they have arranged small boards for people to rest their hands on.  These boards made it possible for my kids to hold their hands still for long periods of time without dropping the bird food.

We fed the birds for about 15 minutes and each of us had between 10-20 birds land on our hands during that time.

After our excitement, we warmed our hands by the nearby fire, had some hot chocolate, and spent about an hour exploring the Amazing Garden Nature Center.  We got to see animals, a train table, and a wide variety of plants and flowers, and the kids had fun with all the interactive games and activities.

Overall it was a great experience and I can't wait to visit in the summer to see the Butterfly House.

Cool Adventures at Beech Creek {Find Out More}
When: TBA for 2022
Where:  11929 Beech St. NE, Alliance, OH 44601 
Cost: Admission rates apply

In addition to the ability to hand feed birds at Beech Creek Gardens, there are a variety of other parks and nature centers that allow guests to hand feed birds during the winter months. 

• FREE Hand Feed Chickadee at Brecksville Reservation – Because of the avian flu and recommendations from Cleveland Metroparks Natural Resources, the Hand Feed a Chickadee program is canceled in 2022 until further notice. {Find Out More}
• FREE Bird in the Hand Feeding Station at The West Woods – Geauga Parks District has a dedicated spot at The West Woods where guests can hand feed birds. TBA for 2022. {Find Out More}

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