Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Birds and Blooms Extra

Whether your state has reopened and is rebounding from COVID-19 or you’re still sheltering in place, I hope you’ve found some time to enjoy or improve your landscape or other outdoor spaces. I know I have! Not only do I know my backyard birds’ feeding schedules like never before, but my husband and I have used this time to check a few projects off our list. He finished burying a drainpipe, and we re-mulched all of our garden beds—something we’d been putting off for a few years. Our field editors have used their time wisely as well. Boni Trombetta of West Chester, Pennsylvania, changed her mind about filling in her water garden and fixed it up instead. And Jennifer Broadstreet Hess of Marion, Kansas, is growing a sunflower patch full…

HARD TO FIND No one knows why these beautiful birds aren’t more abundant. In fact, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports that the blue grosbeak is so scarce that virtually all aspects of its biology are poorly known. NO SIGN OF DECLINE Unlike some bird species, blue grosbeaks did not experience a decline in population in the last 50 years. In fact, there may be more of these birds around today. “Although this sweet songster spends the spring and summer in our southern states, it must be considered as a rather scarce bird there.”JOHN JAMES AUDUBON IN THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, 1834…

IT’S AN AWE-INSPIRING EXPERIENCE to look up and see a bald eagle or a golden eagle soaring overhead. With similar names and resemblance in their younger life stages, it’s natural to assume they are closely related. But aside from the fact that they both belong to the hawk family, these two eagle species are very distant relatives, and they have extremely different lifestyles. Two Groups of Eagles On a global scale, the name eagle is applied to more than 60 members of the hawk family. They’re a diverse selection, mostly large to medium in size, but not necessarily related. The two North American eagles represent distinct groups. The bald eagle is a typical member of a group of about eight species known as sea eagles or fish eagles. Widespread in…

A red admiral caught my interest with its tapestry of color. I watched it go from one flower to another and patiently waited for it to come closer. It finally landed a few feet away from me. The light from behind made the edges of its wings glow and the blues look luminous. Michelle Nyss MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN This plumtree’s sweet fragrance alone was breathtaking. The red admiral made the scene in my parents’ backyard even better. Ursula Anderson HINES, MINNESOTA CATERPILLAR Mostly black or dark brown, with or without speckling. They also have yellow markings along their sides.…

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 May issue, we hid it on page 35. 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 June 3, 2020, and ends on July 29, 2020. Visit birdsandblooms.com/contests for official rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.…

Liatris Liatris spp., Zones 3 to 9 Also known as blazing star, liatris is a beacon to butterflies and hummingbirds. The purple flowers bloom in late summer or early fall, depending on the species, and last for a month or two. Liatris can be planted in poor soil, but needs plenty of sun. Many species are native to the eastern U.S. Attracts:  Light needs: Full sun. Size: 2 to 5 feet tall. Grown for: Borders, cottage gardens and meadows. Foliage: Lance-shaped leaves. Cultivars to try: Alba tends to grow a little shorter than other liatris and has white flowers. For a smaller plant with purple blooms, grow Kobold Original. WILDLIFE BENEFITS After the flowers fade and dry, liatris still attracts wildlife. Songbirds hover around the fluffy seed heads, picking away…

1 Buttonbush CEPHALANTHUS OCCIDENTALIS ZONES 3 TO 11 SIZE: MORE THAN 6 FEET TALL AND WIDE Watch bees, butterflies and hummingbirds flock to these fragrant, spherical white flowers. Buttonbush is also a host for several types of caterpillars. The round fruit persists through winter, providing food for a variety of birds. Grow it in full to partial sun and moist soil. Why we love it: This long-flowering plant provides months and months of enjoyment. DEER-RESISTANT BEAUTY If you’re looking for shrubs that add visual interest to the garden and that deer tend to leave alone, consider including boxwood, common lilac, Carolina allspice or spicebush in your next landscaping project. 2 Kalm St. John’s wort HYPERICUM KALMIANUM ZONES 4 TO 7; SIZE: 2 TO 3 FEET TALL AND WIDE…

This cute juvenile male ruby-throated hummingbird was investigating the zinnias in my garden. I watched him as he landed on the stem of this flower and attempted a tightrope act up the stalk. All hummingbirds are fun to watch, but I think juveniles are especially intriguing with their wide-eyed curiosity of their new world. Carol Holliday TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA BRIGHT SIGHTS Zinnias aren’t the only vivid flowers that attract hummingbirds—bee balm, catmint, eastern red columbine and honeysuckle all boast bold colors known to draw in these fast fliers. This shot was taken during a hot summer day at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. I had never seen a female varied bunting eat from a cactus fruit, so it was very exciting for me to snap this moment. Dawn Arjes…

WINGSPAN 1¾ to 21/2 inches. DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS The forewing is dark with a red-orange stripe and white dots and the hindwing boasts a red-orange border. HABITAT Found nearly everywhere. Males are especially active in the afternoon and evening as they look for females. HOST PLANTS Nettles—stinging nettle, false nettle, wood nettle. NECTAR FAVORITES Adults visit flowers but prefer tree sap, fermenting fruit and animal droppings. RANGE United States, Mexico and southern Canada, plus Europe and western Asia.…

How to submit: Share photos and stories with us using the online form: birdsandblooms.com/submit. Please send submissions only through our online form. What you’ll get: If we print your submission in the magazine, we will send you a complimentary copy of the issue in which it appears, and any compensation as may be specified by us in writing. Returns: We regret that we cannot return unsolicited materials. Rights: By submitting material to us, you grant RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC, its affiliates, partners and licensees worldwide use of the material without time limitation, including the right to use your name and city/state/province in connection with any such use. We reserve the right to modify, reproduce and distribute your material in any medium (now or hereafter existing) and in any manner or…

Any sighting of a blue grosbeak is a cause for celebration, because these beautiful birds just aren’t that common. Although their nesting range covers most of the lower half of the country, spotting one is a rare treat. “Most people see them only fleetingly during spring migration,” says Bubba Scales, who owns Wild Birds Unlimited in Gainesville, Florida, with his wife, Ingrid. These blue birds are sometimes mistaken for indigo buntings, another blue Neotropical migrant that arrives at feeders in spring. Warm brown wingbars and a huge bill set blue grosbeaks apart. The female is tawny brown. Blue grosbeaks may visit feeders anywhere during migration, but during the breeding season, they aren’t backyard birds—unless your backyard includes acres of the shrub-dotted field habitat this species seeks. Bubba, a self-described bird…

COLORFUL STOP Add a splash of brightness and visual intrigue to your yard while also attracting hummingbirds when you hang up this mushroom-shaped glass feeder. With multiple feeding ports, up to five fliers can stop by to eat at the same time. $50 at gratefulgnome.com METAL BEAUTY Enjoy this beautiful copper feeder, complete with a metal hummingbird hovering over the jar. Better yet, it’s designed to keep wasps and bees out. $50 at copperhummingbird.com CLEARLY FUN Add some rustic Mason jar-inspired charm to your outdoor decor while also providing a nifty new feeding hot spot. $20 at perkypet.com DROPPING BY Create a beautiful hanging buffet by adding this set of three feeders made from recycled glass. Each one holds 1/2 cup of sugar water. $70 at gardeners.com UP CLOSE Get…

• Group containers in odd numbers—threes and fives—which feel more natural. • Use multiple sizes for a more dynamic effect. • Tie containers together visually with a shared material or color. • Limit small pots to one species; large pots can accommodate three or more species. • Create a stage for tall focal-point plants with mounding, monochromatic companions. • Add extra color and texture with soil toppers such as marbles, colorful rocks or pine needles. • Grow herbs and small veggies in pots if you don’t have room for a vegetable garden.…

Q Do Anna’s hummingbirds normally have white-tipped tails? Kathy Hitzemann FREELAND, WASHINGTON Kenn and Kimberly: For most of the North American species of hummingbirds, including Anna’s, the females and young birds have big white spots on the tips of their outer tail feathers, which the adult males don’t have. When the birds are perched, those white spots are often hidden by dark central tail feathers, so it’s easy to overlook the white patches unless you get a close look while the birds are hovering and fanning their tails. When the birds are perched, sometimes the tail feathers are disarranged so the white spots are revealed. Q What kind of moth is this? Nancy Burall NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS Kenn and Kimberly: This beautiful and streamlined creature is a tersa sphinx…

True or False? A. PEACH ROSES represent sincerity and gratitude. A bouquet of them is ideal for a hostess gift. B. THE PEACH BLOSSOM is the state flower of Delaware, despite the northern location. C. GEORGIA PEACH coral bells have peach leaves and white blooms and are grown as perennials in most of the U.S.…

4 Four types of swifts nest in North America. Black, Vaux’s and white-throated swifts are found in the western half of the United States, while chimney swifts occupy the East. 180 White-throated swifts nest in a wide range of sites, from Death Valley at 180 feet below sea level up to elevations of 11,000 feet. 1 One way chimney swifts adapted to habitat loss is using their saliva to stick their nests to houses. 4,000 In 2010, geolocators helped researchers discover black swifts travel 4,000 miles to Brazil each winter. Before that, the birds’ wintering location was unknown. 35,000 When roosting, up to 35,000 Vaux’s swifts may gather in one site. 500 Chimney swifts spend most of their lives in midair. They eat, drink and mate while flying, only stopping…