Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2024 i Birds and Blooms Extra

Hi, Birds & Blooms Extra family! I have some important news to share about changes to come to Birds & Blooms Extra. Starting with our next issue—the February 2025 edition—we’ll be digital only, which means you’ll receive your issues in your email inbox instead of your mailbox. But don’t worry! We will continue to deliver all the beautiful photos, helpful advice, and useful and inspiring stories you know and love in Birds & Blooms Extra. In order to ensure that your next issue arrives in your inbox, we need to make sure we have your preferred email address. Look for the insert that arrived with this issue to see if we have yours on file. If it’s not correct or if you have any questions, get in touch with us…

1 Rubber plant FICUS ELASTICA The big glossy leaves of the rubber plant thrive under bright direct or indirect light, where it can grow from 2 to 10 feet tall. Protect it from low temperatures and drafts, and allow soil to slightly dry between waterings. Water it regularly during spring and summer, but you can usually water less often in fall and winter. Why we love it: New leaves begin as colorful purple or pink stipules, which add extra interest during the growing season. 2 Norfolk Island pine ARAUCARIA HETEROPHYLLA This pinelike conifer is native to Norfolk Island off the Australian coast. But as a houseplant, it likes as much full sun as you can give it. Rotate it regularly to promote symmetrical growth. It can grow up to 9…

When an American white pelican showed up at a nearby park, I named it Pelly, and the name caught on with the local birding community. I captured hundreds of photos of Pelly, but this one, taken about a month after the bird showed up, is a favorite. It was the golden hour, about 5:30 p.m. on a late fall day, and the water had a beautiful golden hue that reflected Pelly perfectly. Sally Horowitz LEXINGTON, KY MY, WHAT BIG BIRDS THEY ARE! American white pelicans stand almost 4 feet tall and can weigh 20 pounds or more. Plus they have an impressive 9-foot wingspan! My husband and I monitor our bluebird boxes regularly throughout the summer. In fall, bluebirds migrate south, so I was surprised to spot one in early…

Henry III Purple Aster Aster novi-belgii, Zones 5 to 9 From late summer through mid-fall, these prolific, lush double blooms are hardworking and easy to grow for use as fillers for containers and beds. Plant these mounded perennials 24 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Leave the seed heads intact for birds to eat. Attracts: Light needs: Full sun. Size: 18 inches tall. Grown for: Deer and rabbit resistance and fall blooms that can be used as cut flowers. More to try: Blue wood aster for light blue blooms or aromatic aster for purple flowers into fall. BEST ASTER-GROWING TIPS Asters thrive in well-draining soil with good air circulation and require very little fertilizing.…

Help your houseplants—and your home—look their very best by choosing a plant presentation that fits your personal style. When determining where to put your plant display, consider the light conditions of each room and the needs of your plants. An east- or west-facing window usually provides adequate light for most plants, with high-light plants placed within 2 feet of it and lowlight plants up to 6 feet back or off to the side of it. Bonus tip: Group your plants based on watering needs and frequency. This will make weekly maintenance easier!…

Q A cattle egret was in our pasture in late November and stayed after a cold front. We live only a mile from Lake Erie in northern Ohio. Is it normal for an egret to venture this far north so late in the year? Patricia Hull GENEVA, OH Kenn and Kimberly: Although the much larger great egret is fairly common around lakes and rivers in northern Ohio from spring through fall, the cattle egret is more of a rare visitor, showing up in pastures and marshes mostly in summer. In recent years, however, there has been a trend for a few to arrive in fall and stay into early winter, for no obvious reason. Also, the name of this bird has changed as of July 2024: It’s now officially the…

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 25. 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. 23, 2024, and ends on Jan. 15, 2025. 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…

One could easily confuse the Cassin’s finch with the closely related purple finch or even the more familiar house finch. For Dusty Downey, conservation ranching manager at the Audubon Rockies, the Cassin’s finch is a species that represents the edge of the sagebrush and the tall evergreen forests of the West. Seeing Red Male Cassin’s finches are hardly streaked, lending them a vibrant plumage. “To me, the Cassin’s finch always seems brighter,” Dusty says. The rich red crown of a male Cassin’s makes a striking contrast to its pale body. Purple finches have more extensive red hues, especially on their backs and the bodies. In comparison, male house finches are heavily streaked. Female Cassin’s finches show bold streaks but muddled cheek patches. Purple finches are similarly streaked, but their facial…

English ivy BOTANIC NAME Hedera helix. ZONES 4 to 13. SIZE Up to 80 feet tall and 50 feet wide. BLOOMS Occasional chartreuse umbels appear on mature stalks followed by black drupelike fruits. USES Best potted indoors because of its invasive nature and aggressive spreading. CONCERN It is toxic to humans, pets and livestock. It’s also invasive in several states and very hard to remove once it is established. Boston ivy BOTANIC NAME Parthenocissus tricuspidata. ZONES 4 to 8. SIZE Up to 60 feet tall and 10 feet wide; can be pruned to keep it in bounds. BLOOMS Inconspicuous yellow flowers under the leaves that attract bees. USES Ground cover, vertical wall cover with study support, covering stumps, erosion control. CONCERN Not considered toxic, but is invasive in some areas. May damage…

Barn owls are my favorite because of their beauty. I love their heart-shaped faces, soulful eyes and wispy feathers in a blend of soft taupe, golden brown and white. Joanne Thomas BAYONNE, NJ Hearing one owl call and another seemingly answer is so incredible! Judy Roberts GRAYTOWN, OH The way they fly silently through the woods is amazing. Greg Mandigo ALMA CENTER, WI I especially love owls because my older brother did. He passed away suddenly in 2015, and now whenever I hear an owl, I feel close to him again. Carol Roe LONG GROVE, IA When it is too dark to watch birds, I love hearing their haunting calls. I am also mesmerized by their penetrating stares and amazed by their ability to rotate their heads up to 270…

17,000 The round-trip migration of a Swainson’s hawk ranges from 11,000 to 17,000 miles each year. 5 With a wingspan of up to 5 feet, the great gray owl is the largest owl in North America, even though it only weighs 2.5 pounds. 1.4 The elf owl is North America’s smallest owl. It weighs only about 1.4 ounces. 242 The peregrine falcon is the fastest creature on earth, able to dive at up to 242 mph. 50 California condors are among the longest-lived raptors. They can survive up to 50 years. 30 Because they exhibit reversed sexual dimorphism, female Cooper’s hawks often weigh at least 30% more than males. 14 There are about 14 recognized subspecies of red-tailed hawks, the most widely distributed hawk found in 49 states and as…