Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2018 i Birds and Blooms Extra

Before I go birding I always check the Explore tab on the eBird.org website. There, I can quickly see which birds people in my community have spotted at my favorite locales. I like to know which ones to look for, especially during spring and fall migration. If you’ve never heard of it, eBird is an online citizen science community for people to log sightings, keep track of personal lists and photos, and explore birding hot spots around the world. Field editor Grace Huffman uses eBird’s sightings map when she’s trying to find the best places to see less common birds. And another field editor, Ken Orich, regularly submits his findings to eBird for others in his community to see. The citizen science trend is exploding right now, with new projects…

Nicknamed “mopes” by Newfoundlanders for their subdued and approachable personalities, pine grosbeaks tend to freeze rather than fly when they feel threatened. Passersby usually walk right by without noticing the robin-size birds among subalpine conifers where they breed during summer, but they’re easily spotted foraging for seeds, berries and buds in the winter. Pine grosbeaks are named for their stubby, thick bills, which they use to munch seeds and snip buds and needles off trees. Showy pink-red feathers on the male’s head, chest and back, and bold black-and-white bars on its wings brighten backyards when these feeder-friendly birds show up. The female is the same size as her mate and has appealing plumage, too, with a yellow head and rump, and white-banded wings. Juvenile males resemble females until their second…

The beautiful sights and scents of roses are long gone for the season, and cold weather is quickly approaching. Many shrub roses that perform well in your area are perfectly suited to withstand the freezing winter temps, but others, especially hybrid tea and other modern hybrids, need some special care. 1. Resist fertilizing. Halt fertilizers about 6 weeks prior to the first predicted frost in your area. This protects any tender new growth from damage by frost and freeze. 2. Trim. Harsh winter winds may damage not only the canes of roses but may rock bushes at the roots, causing harm. Trim your tall roses by one-third and cover them to prevent damage from cold weather. 3. Clean up. Clear garden beds of debris, especially any diseased leaves that may…

Red stripe runs from forehead to nape of the neck on males (only nape is red on females) Pale feathers cover the face and belly Long bill for excavating nest sites and foraging for insects in tree bark Faint red belly feathers are visible only in certain light Black-and-white bars on back and wings Four toes with claws—two face forward, two face back Stiff tail feathers offer support when clinging to tree trunks…

Q How should I clean my suet cage feeders? Chongo Graves APTOS, CALIFORNIA Kenn and Kimberly: Keeping feeders clean is an important element of bird feeding. Wire cage feeders for serving suet get very messy, so they need regular cleaning, more often in hot weather. Start by soaking the empty feeder in warm water mixed with mild dish detergent and a little vinegar. After it has soaked for an hour or two, wipe off any accumulated gunk with a soft brush or a sponge. Rinse the feeder thoroughly before you refill it and put it back out for the birds. QI saw this bird in Boston, and I was amazed by its coloring. What is it? Theresa St. John SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK Kenn and Kimberly: What a wonderful image!…

Find the Hummingbird In each issue, we hide a hummingbird like the one above left. Enter to win at birdsandblooms.com/contests if you find it. Winners receive a one-year subscription to Birds & Blooms . In the September issue, we hid it on page 7. HIDDEN OBJECT GUIDELINES No purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its territories and possessions, or of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec). Sweepstakes begins on Oct. 10, 2018, and ends on Dec. 11, 2018. Visit birdsandblooms.com/contests for official rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC. Contact Us! CUSTOMER CARE For subscriptions, renewals, gifts, payments, account info and inquiries: Email:…

GET AWAY See South Texas specialties, such as green jays, green kingfishers and great kiskadees, when you attend the 25th Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival Nov. 7-11. Read  From ornamental pineapple to fiddle-leaf fig, find everything you need to know about indoor greenery in The Little Book of House Plants by Emma Sibley. Make  Feed more birds this fall with a functional and festive wreath! Attach popcorn and cranberries to a wreath form and hang! ASK OUR PROS! Stumped about fall cleanup or how to make sure your plants survive winter? Send your autumn conundrums to our garden expert: birdandblooms.com/submit CELEBRATE  National Take a Hike Day is Nov. 17. Grab your binocs and hit the trails!…

HEED THE CALL During breeding season, mated pairs show their monogamous bond with identical flight calls. Other times, flocks that forage together use similar calls as a way to keep track of the group. “I watch pine grosbeaks spit out the apple part of ornamental crabapples. They are only interested in the seeds.”Ken Orich LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA TALKING BACK According to naturalists at Rocky Mountain National Park, if you toot like a pygmy-owl, pine grosbeaks might show up and sing along. RANGE MAP…

Bottoms Up Acrobatic birds like chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches eat upside down, while perching birds grab food from the top. An acrylic cover keeps the suet dry. $30 at duncraft.com Super Ball Forgo the traditional suet cake and try a new shape! This adorable feeder holds suet balls instead. $22 at backyardchirper.com Made by Hand This feeder made of western cedar comes in two sizes—small and medium. Fill the holes with store-bought or DIY suet cakes. From $28 at MLTimbercrafts.etsy.com Beak to Tail Woodpeckers use their strong tails to brace themselves as they perch to eat. This bamboo feeder offers a tail prop that makes it easier than ever for woodpeckers to snag a meal. At thebirdhousechick.com for $58 Window Watcher Bring birds in for a close-up with a Kettle…

10 Each autumn, some chipmunk species hoard food in underground burrows where they spend the winters. These small squirrellike animals create tunnels as long as 10 feet. 2.4 Common snapping turtles may travel a monumental 2.4 miles to get to their preferred hibernation sites in shallow water. Once they’re settled, their body temperature drops to 34 degrees. 2 Punxsutawney Phil is famous for emerging from his Pennsylvania den every Feb. 2, but many groundhogs, especially females, stay put until March when warmer weather moves in. 1940 The common poorwill, a type of nightjar, enters a state of rest for days or weeks at a time. Scientists first discovered this behavior in the 1940s. It’s one of the few birds known to hibernate. 55 Lady beetles are masters at…

Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa, Zones 3 to 9  A lovely and low-maintenance year-round shrub, chokeberry develops bluish black fruit that songbirds eat in fall and winter. Butterflies are attracted to the spring flowers, and some coral hairstreaks use it as a host. Attracts:  Light needs: Full sun or part shade. Size: 3 to 6 feet tall and wide. Grown for: White spring blooms and black fall fruit. Foliage: Leaves turn purple or red in autumn. Cultivars to try: Viking, shown here, blooms earlier than other chokeberries. Autumn Magic is known for fragrant flowers. BIRD BENEFITS Birds devour black chokeberry’s late-season crop, but the shrub also offers dense thickets that provide shelter and nesting sites.…

1 Diva dahlia DAHLIA ‘DIVA’, ZONES 8 TO 10 Prepare to be dazzled by this diva! The color of crushed ripe raspberries, its dramatic blooms are a favorite for both dahlia and cut flower growers. Large 4- to 6-inch blossoms with pointed petals sit atop tall, straight and sturdy stems summer through fall. Where dahlias are not hardy, their tubers need to be dug up and stored over winter before the first frost arrives. Why we love it: With full and perfectly formed blooms, it looks lovely as a cut flower in bouquets. 2 Mapira Asiatic lily LILIUM ASIATIC ‘MAPIRA’, ZONES 4 TO 9 One of the darkest lilies on the market, Mapira’s satiny petals are deep maroon at the center and fade to burgundy. Plant the bulbs 6 inches…

Several months ago, I noticed many Steller’s jays hanging around my songbird feeders. The jays really liked the fruit and peanut mix in one feeder, but it was too small for them to easily perch and eat. I picked up a hopper feeder and filled it with shelled peanuts. Now these beautiful (and raucous) birds, with their bright blue, iridescent wings, are regular visitors. Phillip Lowe PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON Ruby-crowned kinglets normally move nonstop, but this one paused just long enough for me to photograph it against the soft orange background. It was November, and the colors of my favorite season really show! Laura Frazier KEARNEYSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA I was taking pictures of the gorgeous fall foliage at my home in northern Minnesota when this amazing bald eagle landed near me,…

Scientists used to say that “talking” parrots were just imitating sounds with no meaning at all. Through careful studies, researcher Irene Pepperberg demonstrated that an African gray parrot named Alex had learned to use hundreds of words correctly. He identified colors, shapes and materials, and answered complicated questions about various objects including basic math problems. Alex’s skills were only somewhat surprising, because birds in the wild make various sounds on different occasions. For example, black-capped chickadees vocalize at least 16 distinct sounds, all with their own functions. Alarm calls even take on different sounds depending on the kind of predator or other threat they’re facing. So even though their language doesn’t sound like ours, birds definitely use their voices to communicate.…