Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2023 i Birds and Blooms Extra

Besides chickadees, cardinals, woodpeckers and other common feeder birds, brown creepers seem to be a constant in my yard. I love them! They’re always busily climbing up tree trunks, oblivious to other backyard happenings, as if they’re on their own secret mission. I read in “Hidden in Plain Sight” on page 10 that brown creepers only climb up trunks. But for all the times I’ve watched them in my yard, I’ve never seen what happens once they make it up the tree. So I Googled it. The All About Birds website says, “To move to a new tree, they fly weakly to its base and resume climbing up.” Now I definitely need to watch for this movement the next time a brown creeper catches my eye. These birds are also…

1 String of bananas CURIO RADICANS Perfect for an indoor hanging planter, this succulent’s tendrils are covered with small leaves that are shaped like little green bananas. Place it in a spot that gets plenty of sunlight, with a lot of room for it to spill down, such as the top of a bookshelf. Why we love it: Give the plant some time outside during warmer months, if desired, by slowly acclimating it. 2 Panda plant KALANCHOE TOMENTOSA It’s very easy to care for this succulent, which is also known as chocolate soldier. Let the soil completely dry out between waterings. Because panda plant stores plenty of water in its thick, fuzz-covered leaves, that means less watering for you. Why we love it: The velvety texture over light green leaves…

To make photos more interesting, I like to frame birds with natural elements. Beautyberry attracts birds in the fall and winter, and every year the cycle is different. Last year I waited near a bush and counted all the species that visited it. This American robin ruled the bush and would not allow any other thrushes to come close. But the bird did allow small sparrows to sneak in and enjoy the berries. Sujata Roy MORRISVILLE, NC One fall morning I put my bird feeder up but had a little extra safflower seed, so I threw it on the ground. This tufted titmouse came down, grabbed a safflower seed and took off. Titmice are very fast, but luckily I was able to snap a shot of this wide-eyed bird. Jim…

WE ARE LUCKY that numerous wood ducks show up at a small pond on our property. One day I set up my photography blind along the pond’s edge and got up extra early to beat the ducks there. After a little waiting, several arrived and swam very close to my blind. Andy Raupp MONTELLO, WI quack facts Thanks in part to bird lovers putting up suitable nest boxes for them, the wood duck population has rebounded in recent decades. MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND I ventured to South Carolina to go birding and saw this black-bellied whistling-duck on the first day. I used a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, and this photo is special because I kept shooting this one bird for about 10 minutes. My significant other said, “All you need…

JeanGenie Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens ‘Moneva’, Zones 2 to 8 When space is limited but you need a tree, give this compact evergreen from Monrovia a try. Use it as a specimen tree or plant a few together to create a natural privacy fence to offer gorgeous color and texture year-round. Attracts: Light needs: Full to partial sun. Size: 10 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Grown for: Blue-green foliage and attractive pyramid form. Foliage: Slow-growing branches provide stiff clusters of hearty, attractive needles. Care tip: Water deeply the first few seasons to establish healthy roots. BIRD BENEFITS Spruces of all sizes provide dense foliage and protection from harsh weather and predators, as well as nesting sites, for a variety of backyard birds.…

Despite the chilly temps, it’s time to think spring and treat your soil for the winter. It’s easy with simple materials such as compost, mulch or weeds. Once soil temperatures drop below 45 degrees (use a soil thermometer to check yours), organisms within will slow down and hibernate. Good, treated soil protects roots, as well as hibernating insects and microbes, from freezing. “Living soil has the same basic requirements that wildlife and people do: food, water, shelter and air,” says Mary Phillips, head of National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife. “And without those, it starts to die. But winter is ever-changing and you can still improve soil.” Why Treat Soil By adding nutrients and organisms, soil treatments make it more viable for plants to live. These treatments can also rid…

Q The leaves on my aspen trees turn only slightly yellow at the edges before drying, turning brown and falling off every autumn. What causes this? Gail Clark DENVER, CO Melinda: Fall color is influenced by day length, temperature and soil moisture. When plants receive the right amount of moisture and the fall nights are cool, their fall colors are the most brilliant. Hotter temperatures and variable rainfall can cause fall leaves to turn brown like yours. You can’t control the weather, but mulching the soil around your trees can help conserve soil moisture. Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded bark or wood chips over the soil surface surrounding the trees. Pull the mulch away from the tree’s trunk to avoid rot and other problems. This will also help…

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 September issue, we hid it on page 22. 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. 5, 2023, and ends on Dec. 18, 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:…

Other songbirds may have flashier feathers, but the brown creeper’s stealthy movement and subtle markings make spotting one a thrill. Thanks to their wide range across much of the U.S. during the nonbreeding season, you’ve probably had one visit your yard without even knowing it. Tree Huggers Brown creepers get their funny name from the way they stick close to tree trunks as they hunt for insects, spiders and larvae. They use their long tails to steady themselves and their curved beaks to probe for food. Unlike nuthatches, brown creepers only climb up tree trunks, not down. Brown creepers are tiny birds, just over 5 inches from bill tip to tail tip. Their size and their markings (streaks of brown and light brownish yellow) help them camouflage against tree bark,…

House finch RANGE Found year-round across much of the United States and Mexico, plus parts of southern Canada. BILL Thick, grayish conical bill that is perfect for eating seeds, plant buds and berries. APPEARANCE Long, flat head with large red patches around the face; brown-streaked back, belly and tail; and a scarlet breast. SONG Lengthy series of short warbling notes ending with a zeee. Common redpoll RANGE Nests in the Arctic, migrating south irregularly in winter to southern Canada and the northern U.S. BILL Small, pointed yellow bill surrounded by black feathers, ideal for consuming seeds. APPEARANCE Petite body and head with a little red spot on the forehead; brown-and-white streaked sides with white wingbars; and a pink chest. SONG Mixture of their sharp, zapping call notes, lasting about 30…

Come fall, a surge of vibrant color is welcome in most gardens. Asters, true to their name’s meaning of “star” in Greek, are proven performers, providing a gorgeous display of pink, purple, blue and white blossoms that perk up dreary beds. Some of these wildflowers are native to North America, and are readily available and easy to grow, making them a smart choice in any landscape. Ranging from 1 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 4 feet wide, asters are popular because they are relatively free of problems and are also deer resistant, says Evan Santi, president of Urban Plantscapes, which services the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and New York City areas. “They are related to sunflowers and chrysanthemums and have that same look if you examine the structure of the…

I placed a long sofa table so that half of it is in front of a south-facing window. Plants that prefer a lot of light are in the area in front of the window. But because the other half of the table is in the shade, I can have many plants in one spot, and they are all happy. Hope Cate WILMINGTON, NC I put ice cubes in my hanging plants. As the ice melts, the soil absorbs the water and it doesn’t drip out the bottom of the pot. Roslyn Francis LODI, CA Add coffee grounds to your houseplants and watch them thrive. Delores Koland PELICAN RAPIDS, MN Use a soil moisture meter to prevent overwatering. It lets you know if the soil is wet, moist or dry. Tracy…

500 Though they’re still critically endangered, about 500 California condors are around now—many flying in the wild and others in captive-breeding programs. 3 These scavengers are capable of surviving for several days without eating, but when they do, they might ingest more than 3 pounds of carrion. 1967 Because of habitat loss, power-line collisions and lead poisoning, California condors were first listed as endangered in 1967. 200 Quite the impressive soarers, these birds may log more than 200 miles per day in the air. 27 Only 27 condors remained in the mid-1980s, when they were all captured and brought into captive-breeding programs to save the species. 9 With a wingspan of more than 9 feet (and weighing around 20 pounds), the California condor is the largest wild bird in North…