Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Birds and Blooms Extra

What’s cool about birding is that we all have different experiences with birds—and that’s OK! In fact, it’s kind of fun to have friendly banter about those birds we love and those we, well, love a little less. For example, I sometimes feel frustrated with house finches when they very quickly find the oranges I put out for the orioles. For days, I watch the finches nibble them right down the peels while hoping the orioles find them too. The bright orange birds always end up discovering the fruit and nicely sharing it with the finches. And at my house, red-winged blackbirds frequently spend time near the many swampy ponds in my neighborhood, and regularly stop by my feeders. And although they’re big and loud, and they eat a lot,…

1 ColorBlaze Royale Pineapple Brandy Royale Pineapple Brandy has beautifully serrated, elongated leaves that are chartreuse with burgundy-bronze hints along the edges and stems. It’s a superb border plant at 20 to 30 inches tall and 12 to 16 inches wide. Heat tolerant, it can be planted either in sun or shade. It is also picture-perfect in a container on the patio. Why we love it: Besides being deer resistant, this coleus can become an excellent houseplant once the heat of summer is over. 2 Wildfire Blaze The bright red of Blaze’s leaves, along with vibrant yellow edges, can’t be missed. It’s eye-catching in a border garden as a repeating pattern, or grow it anywhere else to add a bold design. This coleus can also be a great low hedge…

While strolling around a golf course one early spring morning, I desperately tried to photograph cedar waxwings. The beautiful birds were quite abundant in the trees and bushes, but they move so quickly. I was extremely thrilled when this bird perched for a short time, and I captured a few photos. The morning light was fantastic, and the shrubbery was the perfect complement to the bird’s feathers. Donnell Allen COLORADO SPRINGS, CO This sweet little tree swallow was very curious as my husband and I sat under the trees with our cameras ready. The bird landed for just a moment and then flew off to catch more bugs. It is always a joy to find swallows swiftly flying about as they nab insects midair. Their acrobatics are remarkable to watch.…

Miss Piggy Pigsqueak Bergenia cordifolia, Zones 4 to 9 Miss Piggy is new from Proven Winners, and is ideal for shady spaces. Try it in a pot or as a border plant or ground cover, but remember to snip a few blooms for a DIY bouquet. Miss Piggy is also known to resist deer and rabbits. Attracts: Light needs: Part to full shade. Size: 18 inches tall and 32 inches wide. Grown for: Bright pink bloom clusters that might appear as early as April. Foliage: Thick, dark green leaves that are attractive even after the blooms fade. Soil needs: Well-draining, moisture-retentive soil. TRY IT AT HOME Rub a pigsqueak leaf between your thumb and finger to hear the sound that gave this plant its common name!…

Q Do birds choose specific types of trees or shrubs to make nests in? Gail Jakubiak HUDSON, FL Kenn and Kimberly: Birds have preferences for the general kind of situation where they’ll build nests, such as in a dense, low shrub or a tall tree, but most are not choosy about the exact species of plant. Yellow warblers often nest in willows, Baltimore orioles often in elms, and scarlet tanagers usually in oaks, but all of these birds frequently choose other kinds of trees as well. Only a few North American birds are truly specialized in their choice of plants for nest sites. One example is curve-billed thrashers in the Southwest, which usually place their nests among the spiny arms of a cholla cactus. Q I’m careful to properly clean…

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 get a one-year subscription to Birds & Blooms. In the January issue, we hid it on page 51. 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 Feb. 16, 2023, and ends on April 12, 2023. 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:…

Red-winged blackbirds are one of the most widespread birds in North America. This is evident come early spring, when the glossy black males claim territory near water, issuing loud songs to chase away rivals and intruders, including the occasional human. To defend their home base, they extend their wings to highlight their red-and-yellow shoulder markings. Top males may mate with up to 15 females. “Males that are really healthy and competitive can control more resources than lower-quality males, which likely means they can get both more food and more mates,” says Sarah Winnicki, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Low Nests Smaller streaky brown females issue their own scolding calls—though mostly toward other females. Close to the surface of the marsh, they build deep cup-shaped nests lined…

TRUE BULB True bulbs (in other words, they are not rhizomes, corms or tubers) contain a plant’s bud, stem and leaves inside a compact unit with layers that resemble the inside of an onion. RHIZOME This type of stem structure has the ability to stretch underground horizontally. Some invasive plants and weeds spread out via rhizomes to quickly dominate a landscape. TUBER The best-known tubers are potatoes. Tubers are underground stems and can bud from multiple spots. They can be divided to grow more. CORM Resembles true bulbs but is a solid unit of tissue, unlike a bulb’s layers of developing leaves. New corms often grow on top of spent ones.…

FEW TYPES OF GARDEN PLANTS are more diverse, adaptable and useful than ground covers. With a huge variety in form, foliage, flowers and even fragrance, ground covers can play many roles in a landscape. They help suppress weeds, reduce erosion and provide food for pollinators, and some even grow in spaces where few other plants will, according to Gary Lewis, owner of Phoenix Perennials and author of The Complete Book of Ground Covers. Whether your yard is incredibly shady, full of slopes or affected by drought, consider these lovely picks that support wildlife in a range of conditions. LOW-LIGHT LOVELIES A high tolerance for low sunlight is just one reason to love these shade tolerant ground covers. 1. Wild Stonecrop Sedum ternatumZones 4 to 8 Whorls of three succulentlike leaves…

I have duplicate feeders. When it’s time to take one down to clean, another is ready to be filled and take its place. This way I can clean the dirty feeder and let it air dry. Linda DiGasper RED HOOK, NY Place fruit slices in a suet basket Woodpeckers enjoy the special snack.Richele Herigan HARRISBURG, PA We have several styles of feedersand offer a selection of bird food to attract a variety of birds. Sue Gronholz BEAVER DAM, WI Metal shower hooks work wonderfully for hanging feeders. I just snap open the hooks to remove my feeders for refilling or cleaning. They even fit over small tree branches. Lorraine Noerenberg BACKUS, MN I add extra sunflower seeds to bags of mixed birdseed.It keeps the cost down and is more attractive…