For Kelley Manson, bird-loving is only natural. Listen to their songs. Revel in the colors of their feathers. Be quiet, and let them talk. Birds invite you into the moment.
“With all the stress and chaos in the world, birds are calming, and visually beautiful, and they help us relax and maybe escape a bit from everyday life,” said the Bernardston author, whose recent book, “What Do I Feed the Birds?: Easy Ways to Attract Our Feathered Friends” is an invitation, particularly for children and the elderly, to pause and reap the benefits.
Manson, who grew up on 60 acres of land in north Greenfield, learned from her aunt that birds were ever-present and often joyful. At the age of 7, receiving her first pair of binoculars gave her a more nuanced perspective, which her first camera allowed her to study with the help of Roger Tory Peterson’s 1934 bestseller, “A Field Guide to the Birds,” dog-eared and tucked into her back pocket.
Forty years later, the self-taught “Bird Lady,” as she is lovingly called, wants to share her experience. “What Do I Feed the Birds?” is, at its heart, a way for kids to learn to read. It’s a picture book, an opportunity to learn how to spell and a way to associate birds with words — and the world.
“If I’d had it with me, it would have been another tool I could use,” said the author.
She noted that for hobbyists, there are “books hundreds of pages long. But I want this to be simple, for children to hold it in their hands easily, to not have to search and hunt and peck for what to feed the birds. I just wanted a simple bird-feeding book.”
In her research, Manson learned that a book like hers could also benefit the elderly. “There are so many things that go on behind the scenes when you have a book in your lap and look out your window,” said Manson. “It’s like a whole body-and-mind experience. It could remind [older folks] of their childhood and bring back happy memories.”
According to a recent study from the Journal of Neuroscience, “birding might reshape the brain and could help protect it from some of the effects of aging.”
“Learning a new skill can cause the brain to reorganize itself as it forms new pathways and strengthens existing ones,” stated the article in Smithsonian Magazine, referring to a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. In short, birding could be mind-altering and extraordinarily healing.
As for what to actually feed the birds, the 52-page book offers simple recipes for homemade “goodies” like suet, which can supply birds with protein year-round, and extols the virtues of seeds, peanuts, peanut butter, grape jelly, oranges and sugar water. Manson recommends using healthy ingredients, but don’t go overboard.
“Birds don’t know the difference between organic and regular,” she said.
The author even suggests spreading peanut butter on the bark of a tree — whatever it takes to nourish the birds. Interspersed with easy-to-follow text are bright, beautiful photos with a legend at the back of the book.
“I guess if I could give any advice, it’s just to go out in nature and sit, camera or not, to quiet your mind,” said the bird-lover. “It’s soothing to your soul.”
“What Do I Feed the Birds?: Easy Ways to Attract Our Feathered Friends” (Redpoll Publishing, 52 pages, $11.99) may be purchased at kelleymanson.com/what-do-i-feed-the-birds.
Melissa Karen Sances can be reached at melissaksances@gmail.com.