Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i Birds and Blooms Extra

“Wilson wears a hat.” That’s the saying I made up to help me identify male Wilson’s warblers. Before my first trip to The Biggest Week in American Birding festival in northwest Ohio, I tried really hard to brush up on my warbler ID skills. As I studied the Wilson’s, I noticed that the black patch on the top of its head looks like a cute little hat. And ever since, that simple saying helps me remember it. Birds in the warbler family are tricky to identify—they’re all relatively the same size, many of them have some variation of yellow and black field marks, and they move so fast they’re gone in the blink of an eye. Although warblers rarely visit backyard feeders, a few species wander into gardens, especially during…

You’ve just filled your feeders, and before you make it back to the house, a flock of starlings or a couple of ravenous squirrels descend and devour your seed in no time flat. If that sounds familiar, one simple solution might be safflower seed. Safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius ) is a thistlelike annual with bright orange and yellow flowers that’s grown around the world to make cooking oils. The seeds, which are extremely high in protein and fat, are slightly smaller than sunflower seeds. The hard white shell protects the meat, and has a somewhat bitter flavor. That’s why fewer birds like the seed. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, some of the bothersome bully birds out there—grackles, starlings and blackbirds—actively avoid safflower seeds. Field editor Ken…

Swooping over meadows and pausing on blooms, swallowtails draw attention with their large size and striking colors. They get their name from the extended tails on their hindwings, a feature that makes them more buoyant in flight but that, interestingly, not all swallowtails possess. With more than 500 species fluttering over six continents, swallowtails are a diverse family. Most are tropical, but about 25 kinds are found regularly in the United States and Canada. No matter where you live, you can see them during the warmer months of the year. APTLY NAMED Many swallowtails have colorful names that help with identification. For example, the tiger group is bright yellow with narrow black stripes. Three species in this group—eastern, western and Canadian—are separated by range, but among the three of them,…

WINGSPAN 31/2 to 43/4 inches. DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS Bright orange with multiple black veins. Wings are edged in black with white speckles. HABITAT Cities to rural fields and mountain pastures. When breeding, they prefer open areas. CATERPILLAR White with yellow and black stripes. Two sets of long black filaments. HOST PLANT Caterpillars exclusively eat milkweed. NECTAR FAVORITES Showy, common or swamp milkweed, heliotrope and butterfly weed. QUIRKY QUALITY Bright orange wings let predators know they are poisonous.…

GRAB THE ESSENTIALS Going birding? Remember to pack the basics: drinking water, binoculars, camera, pocket-sized field guide, bug spray, sunglasses and sunscreen. Read Use tips and advice in The Gardener’s Book of Color by Andrew Lawson to give your landscape a colorful boost. Make Patricia Radder of Westfield, New York, shared this oriole nectar recipe. “It was an instant favorite when the Baltimore orioles returned to our feeders,” she says. Give it a try! Bring to a boil: 1 cup grape jelly, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup white sugar, juice from half an orange Simmer, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature and use immediately or store in the refrigerator for future use. CELEBRATE May 3 is National Garden Meditation Day. Spend some time outside!…

SET THE TABLE Duncraft’s Two Decks Platform & Hopper Feeder is ideal for serving safflower seed. A wire grid covers the platform to keep birds from knocking seeds to the ground. It is made out of natural-looking green and tan recycled plastic, making it both attractive and eco-friendly. Find it at duncraft.com for $100. “I see many birds eating safflower, but squirrels, those ‘rodents in designer duds,’ haven’t even approached the feeder!”Pat Northington AUSTIN, TEXAS TO DYE FOR Safflower was originally cultivated for its colorful red dye, dating as far back as ancient Egypt. Synthetic dyes have replaced it, and safflower is now grown and harvested for the seeds’ oil and as food for animals.…

Floral Favorites This garden fork and hand trowel set is made with a durable aluminum alloy and has a vintage floral finish. The set’s blend of style and function is sure to please green thumbs. $30 at williams-sonoma.com Chirp Hello Welcome visitors with a customizable metal house sign. The chic signs display up to five numbers. $27 at phasefourCNC.etsy.com Well-Displayed The stoneware vase features a charming bird sitting atop a stump. Four holes in the base make arranging a cinch. $25 at victoriantradingco.com Garden Party Add cheery, practical flair to the kitchen with colorful tea towels. Hand-designed and printed in the United Kingdom, they have a hanging loop for drying. Made of 100 percent cotton, they’re easy to clean. $16 at particlepress.etsy.com Night Vision This adorable stand is the perfect…

Q Usually robin nests in my yard have three eggs, but last year I saw eight. Is that normal or are multiple robins using the same nest? Sommer Raines CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA Kenn and Kimberly: When robins find a good site for a nest, they sometimes come back and use it repeatedly, as you’ve seen. But they typically lay three or four eggs, seldom a clutch of five. When a nest holds six to eight robin eggs, two females probably are laying eggs in the nest—perhaps competing for the site until one gives up. So what you’ve found is truly unusual, and it’s an example of the fascinating discoveries that come with careful observation. Q I saw this bird in late May. What is it, and was it just passing through?…

True or False? A. PEONIES NEED ANTS to bloom in the spring. B. PERENNIAL BUDS ALWAYS COME BACK the same hue year after year. C. TO ENCOURAGE NEW GROWTH AND BLOOMS deadhead spent flowers, use fertilizer and learn what each plant needs to thrive. answers on the bottom!…

7 Seven falcon species are found in the U.S. and Canada. Two of them, gyrfalcons and aplomado falcons, are incredibly difficult to spot because of their range and scarcity. 1,300 Peregrine falcons lay their eggs on flat ledges or look for abandoned nests on cliff faces or tall structures. Their homes may be as low as 25 feet or as high as 1,300 feet, which is about the height of the Empire State Building in New York. 200 The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth, flying up to 69 mph. That number is impressive, but it earned the title by its ability to dive after prey at speeds of over 200 mph. 10 Prairie falcons search for prey while soaring or peering from tall perches, but they also…

Crimson Bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus, Zones 8 to 11 This broadleaf evergreen is grown as a large shrub or small tree in warm areas. Northern gardeners can grow bottlebrush in a container outdoors and overwinter it in a sunroom or greenhouse. Attracts: Light needs: Full sun. Size: 3 to 5 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide. Grown for: Showy blooms. Foliage: Coppery at first, maturing to green. Leaves have a lemon fragrance when crushed. Benefits: Blooms delight intermittently all year in warm regions; easy care.…

1 Welsh onions ALLIUM FISTULOSUM, ZONES 3 TO 9 These treasures offer the bright flavor of onions without the wait. Spiky hollow leaves emerge in early spring and can be clipped as fresh scallions until late autumn when the plants die back for winter. Welsh onions are 2 feet tall, super low maintenance and bothered by few pests or diseases. In summer, round white flowers are attractive to bees and beneficial insects. Growing tips: Divide clumps in spring to make more plants. 2 Asparagus ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS, ZONES 2 TO 8 Tender asparagus is a spring treat that’s easy to grow. Plant 1-year-old crowns in a sunny spot with plenty of compost. Hold off harvesting until the third year to give plants time to build up a healthy root…

Every spring we travel to Monterey, Virginia, to photograph birds. This male scarlet tanager was hanging around an old apple tree eating insects. I took what might be my best shot ever. I have seen lots of scarlet tanager photos, but none with the same color contrast and framed within such beautiful blossoms. Troy Baker CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA I followed this white-throated sparrow as it zipped from tree to tree. I finally got a photo of it sitting on a branch that had just started to blossom. Lori Bramble CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND I watched a pair of barred owls for over six months, studying their behavior in hopes of seeing where they nest. All of my hard work paid off with this snapshot. I did my best to hide my presence…

I have created a gorgeous butterfly garden over the years to invite as many species as possible. They all seem to gravitate to the coneflowers, even though I grow many of their favorites. Monarchs are rare guests in my garden, so it was extra special when this one visited me. Maryann Massar JOHNSON CITY, NEW YORK I fell in love with monarchs when I found a chrysalis and watched this butterfly slowly emerge and fly away. The process made me think about the importance of learning to soar through changes. I lost my husband a few years ago and have embraced this meaningful lesson. Carol Manglos-Foster ONEMO, VIRGINIA The metamorphosis monarchs go through to become adults is amazing. They rely on milkweed for survival, and with habitat disappearing, it’s more…

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 March issue, we hid it on page 14. 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 April 10, 2019, and ends on June 6, 2019. 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:  customercare@birdsandblooms.com Visit:…