Indholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2024 i Birds & Blooms

Ready or not, here comes fall! For many of you, the temperatures are dropping, the landscape is changing, and fresh batches of birds are flying in to eat from your feeders. It’s also spooky season, with Halloween right around the corner. In a nod to the most frightful holiday, we gathered up some cool Goth gardening ideas in “Embracing the Darkness” on page 16. Red is one of fall’s most popular fiery colors, so we put the spotlight on plants with red berries in “Red-Hot Plants” on page 12. Read all about them and find one that will work for your landscape. But fair warning: Birds may gobble up the berries before you even have a chance to enjoy the bright pops of color. To take your bird-friendly landscape to…

“I didn’t know Canada jays existed until we came upon one trying to steal lunch from an abandoned picnic table as we walked through the campground at Big Lagoon County Park in California. Seeing this bird was the highlight of our day!”Della Alcorn REDDING, CA CACHING IN Similar to other corvids, Canada jays cache food. When they have access to a steady supply of sustenance, they’ll squirrel some away for later and remember where it’s hidden. FOREST LOOK-ALIKES At a glance, Canada jays may be mistaken for another corvid: the Clark’s nutcracker. Identify a Canada jay by looking for a shorter bill and a lack of visible white feathers on the wings and tail when in flight.…

RANGE Breeds along Pacific Coast, in western mountains and across Canada and Alaska. Winters in much of the United States and Mexico. APPEARANCE Plain gray body with crisply patterned brown back. Adults have bold black-and-white head stripes. Rich rusty brown and gray head stripes on immature birds. Head may be slightly peaked. BILL Varies from pinkish to yellow. SONG Varies by region, but generally pure initial whistled notes, followed by jumbled whistles ending with buzzing trills. RANGE Breeds across Canada and the northeastern United States. Spends winter mostly in the eastern states, with fewer in the Southwest and Pacific Coast. APPEARANCE The white throat patch contrasts with a gray body and brown patterned wings and back. Head stripes may be brown and gray or black and white. Yellow patches between eyes and bill. BILL Grayish. SONG A pure…

Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can’t distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. “They’re not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out,” says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York. Tasting Notes In general, birds have a primitive sense of taste that lets them know when something is salty or bitter. This likely helps them gather essential nutrients like sodium while steering clear of toxic compounds. So what does this…

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 August/September issue, we hid it on page 10. 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 US., its territories and possessions, or of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec). Sweepstakes begins on Sept. 18, 2024, and ends on Nov. 19, 2024. 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:…

Bright Idea Stonecrop Sedum hybrid, Zones 3 to 9 Blooming in early summer, this stonecrop is ideal for dry, hot climates. Vibrant yellow starshaped blossoms top red stems and dark green serrated leaves. Easy to grow and propagate in average to poor well-draining soil, this perennial is rabbit resistant and happily spreads to fill gaps in the garden. Attracts: Light needs: Full sun. Size: 10 to 12 inches tall. Grown for: Use as a ground cover or edging plant, spiller in mixed containers and borders, or as cut or dried flowers. Cultivars to try: Others in the Rock ’N Round collection include white-blooming Bundle of Joy and pink-blooming Popstar. RESILIENT GROWERS In general, succulents tolerate heat and drought, and many will even withstand salt. Most succulents require full sun and…

1 Strawberry tree ARBUTUS UNEDO ZONES 7 TO 10 This slow-growing evergreen shrub or small tree is native to western Europe and thrives in warmer climates. The glossy leaves, white flowers, and red berries or drupes provide interest in every season. Harvest the fruit in autumn and use it in jams and jellies. Be careful: It bruises easily. Why we love it: Pollinators enjoy the nectar, and small mammals and birds are attracted to the high sugar content in the fruit. 2 Bunchberry CORNUS CANADENSIS ZONES 2 TO 6 Common in forests throughout Canada and the northern United States, this spreading ground cover is a great choice for gardens in cool climates. Features include glossy green leaves that transition to red and purple in the fall and small white flowers that…

BIG AND BOLD Native to eastern North America, barred owls have moved west of the Rocky Mountains. They pose a threat to spotted owls of the West, competing with them for food and disrupting their nesting process. PAST PERFECT On the banks of Chippewa Lake stands a now-deserted amusement park. Plans are in place to possibly restore the area as a more traditional lakeside park.…

Walter Vogt of Schaghticoke, New York, says he was so fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to capture this funny photo of a red-bellied woodpecker. SHARE YOUR CAPTION Your funny caption for this bird scene could appear in the next issue. Share your clever idea at birdsandblooms.com/caption. LAST ISSUE’S WINNING CAPTION “Nope, trumpet vine flowers don’t make trumpet sounds!” SHARE YOUR BEST FUNNY NATURE PHOTOS! Follow the Submission Guidelines on page 56.…

If you hear a scratchy, whistling call coming from the trees near your campsite, you might want to hide your crackers. Boisterous Canada jays have a well-earned reputation as food thieves, although there’s more to them than their habit of stealing hikers’ snacks. Gray Jay No More Even if you haven’t heard of Canada jays, you’ve heard of their relatives. Members of the corvid family, they belong to the same group as American crows, blackbilled magpies, and jays including blue, Steller’s and scrub. “Unlike many of the other jays, a Canada jay doesn’t have a crest of any kind; it just has a rounded head,” says Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River. In 2018, the Canada jay’s name was changed from gray jay, but Dale thinks…

With spooky season upon us and the fiery colors of fall in full splendor, now is the perfect time for Goth gardening to emerge from the shadows. This quirky trend is full of mysterious options that you can choose to make your area as dramatic as you wish. Hearing “Goth garden” may conjure thoughts of murky paths with growling gargoyles, and it can be just that—if that’s your style. But it can also take a more stately route—think Gothic architecture, Victorianesque statues and grand chandeliers. Here are just a few elements to help evoke your eeriest inspiration!…

Q How closely related are puffins to the now-extinct dodo birds? Allison McCullough LaGRANGE, ME Kenn and Kimberly: What an interesting question! The dodo, which lived only on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, has been extinct since the 1600s. It did look somewhat like a puffin, with a big beak, upright posture and short legs. However, puffins can fly, while the dodo was flightless and much larger, more than 2 feet tall and weighing as much as 30 pounds. Puffins can swim and dive expertly, catching all their food underwater in the ocean, while dodos walked around on land. Recent studies have shown that the dodo was actually a very close relative of the pigeon. Q While harvesting my chestnuts in the first week of October, I…

We invested in torpedo baffles—which even stood up to a bear that tried to get our sunflower seeds! And the wildlife still enjoy the seeds that fall out of the feeder, just from below and not on Paula Reiber FREDONIA, PA I use spicy hot-pepper birdseed and suet. It also works to deter raccoons. Diana Marshall HERNDON, VA Max, our three-legged dog, is the best squirrel chaser ever! Nicki Bowlin CHRISTOPHER, IL One of my tube feeders is gravity protected. When a heavy squirrel clings to the perch, the feeder drops down to cover up the hole to the feed. But I also budget for more feed so there is enough for both the birds and the squirrels! Glenda Ferguson PAOLI, IN I’ve been trying to deter squirrels for over 20…