" If bird lovers had to pick a favorite garden bird, surely the chickadee would be
high on the list. Although not spectacular, they seem to be lively balls of joy,
especially around a winter bird feeder. Friendliness is a word that seems to
apply. I remember one winter's day when I was a boy watching with
astonishment a man standing in a park holding out his hand with one
sunflower seed at a time and chickadees coming to pluck them from his
fingers. When I returned home, I tried it on our back porch with a bit of
fruit cake. I saw a chickadee in a nearby bush. I made a squeaking
sound, and instantly I was delighted to feel the delicate cool feet on
my fingers and the little beak snatching my offering.

Those were black-capped chickadees which live all across North America from
the Appalachains to Alaska. In our western back yeard they are replaced
by the chestnut-backed chickadee. As far as I can tell, they are close
cousins except for the color. Of course, rosehips are found everywhere
across North America as well, so you might very well be
rewarded with this combination.
Robert Bateman