Innehållsförteckning för February/March 2019 från Birds & Blooms

Birds are super cute. But when it comes to giving the title of the cutest bird to just one species, there is a difference of opinion. Associate editor Rachel Maidl declares the ruby-crowned kinglet the cutest, while art director Sharon Nelson sides with the yellow warbler. And my vote is for the black-capped chickadee. To help us settle this friendly debate, we asked the Birds & Blooms Facebook audience and field editors to weigh in. After combing through their answers, we came up with a list of the 10 cutest birds in North America. Turn to page 28 to read about the dashing good looks and entertaining antics that make them so charming, and see stunning photos of them being…well…simply adorable. Many of the birds on our list are frequent…

FEEDER WITH A TWIST This 39-inch Super Spiral Nyjer Feeder from Duncraft holds almost 4 pounds of seeds and has cast-metal, removable caps for cleaning. Find it at duncraft.com for $50. I scatter Nyjer seed on the grass under sock feeders for ground foragers. All manner of birds flock to it!Keith Golden LAKE CARROLL, ILLINOIS PICKY EATERS Nyjer seeds are tiny, but they still have a shell. If you think your backyard birds might be just pecking at their food—not eating it—check the ground litter for thin hulls.…

Q I planted Queen of the Night tulips and Poet’s daffodils about 10 years ago. Now they only produce foliage and no blooms. Why is this happening? Sue Gronholz BEAVER DAM, WISCONSIN Melinda: Many new tulip hybrids, like the Queen of the Night shown here, put on a glorious show the first few years and then stop blooming. Consider them short-lived flowers that give you an opportunity to try something new every few years. Or switch to species tulips that tend to grow, spread and flower for many years. Try digging, dividing and replanting Poet’s daffodils. Do this in spring after they have had several months to grow, or mark the location and divide them in the fall when you plant other bulbs. Make sure the daffodils receive at least…

English Rose From David Austin Roses Zones 5 to 10 While shrub roses vary in size, color and hardiness, few bring in wildlife like Scarborough Fair. It produces soft pink, cupped blooms with a musky, old rose scent. Grow it near a walkway or patio to fully indulge in the delicious smell. Its disease resistance is also a plus. Attracts: Light needs: Full sun. Size: At 2½ feet tall and 2 feet wide, it’s fairly compact. Grown for: Long-lasting blooms that wow from early summer to hard frost in autumn. Foliage: Glossy, deep green leaves frame pointed buds. Notable characteristics: Gold stamens among the pink petals attract pollinators. BIRD BENEFITS Sheltering branches and thorns protect birds from hungr y predators. Instead of trimming, let these roses knit themselves together to…

1 Green Star gladiola GLADIOLUS, ZONES 8 TO 11 This rising star is ideal for adding tiers of height to your garden. About 10 to 12 of the 3-inch florets along the stem open all at once during their July and August performances. Butterflies are also big fans. Grow Green Star near burgundy, purple or white blooms. Why we love it: Reaching 4 feet tall, these pastel giants add drama to summer bouquets. 2 Envy zinnia ZINNIA, ANNUAL It’s not the color of these nearly 3-inch double and semidouble chartreuse blooms that invokes garden envy—it’s how easy zinnias are to grow. They grow quickly from seed, pop with color all summer long and they make lovely cut flowers. Plus their 2-foot height shades out weeds. Why we love it: In…

A few springs ago, we had a late-season blizzard. In the weeks following the storm, eight new bird species I’d never seen before showed up on our property. This male Canada warbler was one of them. He sat in the dogwood bush outside my window, just resting and looking around. I love how his colors pop against the background of new grass afterthe snowmelt. Susan Boyce PICKETT, WISCONSIN Thrilled was an understatement when I spotted this male northern parula while walking the McDade trail in northeast Pennsylvania. He was very hard to find and photograph—I could hear him better than I could see him. But for a few seconds he let me take a couple of shots! Nancy Tully EAST STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA On my farm in southern Ontario, an old…

EAST OF THE ROCKIES Columbine Woodland phlox Common milkweed Bee balm Purple coneflower Aster FLORIDA Red columbine Coreopsis Gaillardia Swamp lily Swamp mallow Sandhill milkweed ROCKY MOUNTAINS Columbine Showy milkweed Scarlet gilia Fireweed Mountain lupine Western wallflower SOUTHWEST California poppy Yellow columbine Showy milkweed Autumn sage Pineleaf penstemon Texas red yucca PACIFIC NORTHWEST Western columbine Lewisia Goatsbeard Wild hollyhock Western lily Wetland aster…

For about $300, you can get started as a beekeeper. That’s the standard rate for a beginner kit that includes a hive and supplies—plus a package of 3 pounds of honeybees, or roughly 10,000 individuals including a queen. “I taught myself how to keep bees by reading books,” says Tina Newfield, a nature lover and gardener who’s been tending bees in her New Jersey backyard for five years. She also found a mentor who showed her the ropes. “There is no one way to keep bees,” Tina notes, “so I suggest asking only one person for advice—someone local.” To find experienced folks, join a beekeeping group in your area. Many groups are on Facebook. Just search “beekeeping [your state]” to get connected. Helping vital pollinators whose population has declined due…

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 December/January issue, we hid it on page 64. 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 Jan. 16, 2019, and ends on March 12, 2019. 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:…

60 Despite its stocky build and long, awkward bill, a Wilson’s snipe flies more than 60 mph. Receptors in that lengthy bill help the bird find food that is lurking underground. 80,000 More than 80,000 Wilson’s phalaropes gather on California’s Mono Lake for four to six weeks before their nonstop 3,000-mile trek to South America. While at the lake, they molt and double their body weight. 1 The Wilson’s plover is just one of 11 plovers regularly found in North America. Its best and most distinguishing field mark is an oversized bill. 30 There are approximately 30 million Wilson’s storm-petrels in the world. The best place in the U.S. to spot these seabirds is off the Atlantic coast during the summer months. 48 Anyone living in the Lower 48 has…

Tube or sock feeders full of thistle seed are a common way to welcome songbirds into your garden. But the next time you refill your feeders, think about this. The seeds you’re buying at the store aren’t what you might think. They don’t come from the plant we know as thistle here in North America. What’s in the package is another seed that’s just as tasty and healthy for backyard birds. “When people refer to thistle seed that goes in feeders, they’re generally not talking about the seed that comes from either native or invasive thistle. They’re talking about Nyjer,” said John Rowden, director of community conservation at the National Audubon Society. Nyjer seeds come from the African yellow daisy, a plant not commonly grown in the United States. The…

If you like to save money, you’ll love the idea of rooting stem cuttings. And it’s pretty simple—find a straight species, an older cultivar or plant not under a patent, clip off a juvenile section of the plant’s stem, then coax roots to grow from it. Just think, you can clone as many examples of the mother plant as you wish for the cost of potting medium and a jar of rooting hormone. “Because many plants root readily from cuttings, this is one of the most popular forms of propagation, especially for trees, shrubs and vines,” says Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms. “Propagating with cuttings doesn’t usually interfere with the plants’ growth, and you don’t need to worry about pollinating a flower and waiting for the seeds to ripen—or…

True or False? A. SINGING IS LEFT TO male birds only. Females don’t call out to prospective mates. B. SOME FLIERS WALTZ to attract a match with wing flapping, head dipping and performing intricate dances. C. A LOVELY DINNER advances a bird romance. Certain species feed their potential partners. ANSWERS 1. ROSEATE SPOONBILL 2. SCARLET TANAGER 3. VERMILION FLYCATCHER 4. AMERICAN FLAMINGO 5. NORTHERN CARDINAL A. FALSE; IN SOME SPECIES, FEMALES SING BACK B. TRUE C. TRUE…