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 Contents
BIRDS & BLOOMS AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

28
Meet the
flycatchers
 FE ATU R ES
28
Midair Masters
Learn all about the flycatchers and
their unique insect-eating antics.

36
Graceful in the
Garden
Enjoy up-close snapshots of
dragonflies taken by readers.

40
Reaching New
Heights
Gladioluses are making a comeback!

18 Follow these tips to add bursts of

towering blooms to your garden.

GA R DEN W ITH
A PU R POSE
9 Plant Profile
10 Feeder Talk
Green jays
12 Top 10
Sedums
16 Yard Smarts
Grow a pizza garden
18 Essentials
Luna moths
21 Bird Tales

BACK YA R D CH AT
44 Annual Photo Contest
47 Ask the Experts
40 52 Field Guide

54
Hummingbird ID tips
Across the Fence
Butterfly favorites
36 ON TH E COV ER
Indigo bunting
55
58
Caption This
Did You Know?
Photo by Sunil Gopalan Milkweed

Win $1,000 p. 44 IN EV ERY ISSU E

Easy-to-Grow Blooms p. 12
Mighty Milkweed p. 58 6 From the Editor
Hummingbird ID p. 52 56 For the Reader

BACK COVER: RICHARD BUQUOI

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FROM THE EDITOR

Pops of Color
My favorite birds—painted buntings, cedar waxwings, rose-breasted
grosbeaks and red-headed woodpeckers—are all boldly patterned and
easy to identify. It probably goes back to my early days here at Birds &
Blooms when I first got into birding. I was still learning and knew
I couldn’t misidentify those birds with their one-of-a-kind field marks.
When I went to the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas back in 2014
and saw green jays for the first time, I added them to the list
of birds I love and can always correctly recognize, even now
that my identification skills are a little more advanced.
Green jays are truly spectacular in appearance, with their
blue-and-black heads, green bodies and bold black necks, but
they also have some pretty cool traits. Learn more about these
jays in “Go for Green” on page 10.
Bright hues are present throughout this issue. As you turn
each page, you’ll see delightful pops of color, especially in “Bird
Tales” on page 21. It’s a seven-page collection of special reader
stories and photos of orioles, warblers, buntings and more.
Then in “Reaching New Heights” on page 40, see the various hues of
gladioluses on the market. Read about why the gladiolus is an old-fashioned
favorite in the midst of a comeback.
I hope this color-packed issue brings you joy—the same joy I get when I
see my favorite birds. (Well, I still haven’t actually seen a painting bunting.)

KIRSTEN SCHRADER, CONTENT DIRECTOR

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 GARDEN WITH A PURPOSE

A Star Performer
Cascading color meets sturdy structure
in this easy-care bloomer

Bumble Bee Attracts:

Light needs: Part to full sun.
PL AN T
PE RK
Hot Pink Size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall

As a self-cleaning
Calibrachoa and 1 to 2 feet wide.
Grown for: Trailing growth
plant, calibrachoa’s Calibrachoa ‘Balumotink’ habit makes it perfect in
flowers will
BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

This eye-catching beauty is hanging baskets.

naturally fall of f, irresistible to bees and other
so no deadheading
is necessar y for pollinators and continuously
nonstop blooms. bursts with 1-inch blossoms
throughout the summer months.
Most gardeners grow it as an
annual, although calibrachoa is
technically a tender perennial.
Flowers: Vibrant bicolor
hot pink blooms with yellow
centers.
Care advice: Because of
its abundance of blooms,
regular fertilizing is the
key to success.

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 9

 FEEDER TALK

Green jay

10 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023


Go for Green
To find this vibrant, bold-patterned jay,
you’ll have to head way south BY JILL STAAKE
ays are a familiar
J sight across much
of the United States
and Canada, with
10 jay species spread across the
continent. These corvids are all
visually striking in their own way,
but perhaps none so much as the
green jay, a tropical bird found in
just one corner of the U.S.
Travel Required
To see this unique flier in the U.S.,
you’ll have to travel to southern
Texas, which is the very northern
edge of the green jay’s range.
Green jays are also found in parts
of Mexico and northern Central
America, with a second population
in South America—however, some
think those birds, living almost
900 miles away, are an entirely
different species because they are
larger and live in different habitats.
Frequent Hangouts
GREEN JAY: DAVE WELLING; RIO GRANDE VALLEY: JEFFGOULDEN/GETTY IMAGES
Where they live in south Texas,
green jays prefer wooded habitats,
specifically thickets of mesquite,
sabal palm and huisache, often
along rivers or streams. They also
visit fruit farms, particularly citrus
groves. It’s common to see them
foraging in small groups, usually
consisting of family members.
Field Marks
These striking jays are on the
larger side for songbirds, with
thick sturdy bills and wingspans
reaching 15 inches. As their name
implies, green jays have bright
green bodies and sharply marked
THE FEED
blue-and-black heads. Black throats
neatly delineate the pale yellow
belly feathers. Tails are green on
top and yellow beneath.
Favorite Foods
Green jays are omnivorous,
dining on seeds, fruit, insects
and small vertebrates. This THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
gregarious species forages in
Several bird species found
family groups, with each bird in the Rio Grande Valley
checking out its own tree or bush of southern Texas aren’t
in an area before they all move found anywhere else in
on to the next foraging ground. the U.S. Why? According
Green jays visit bird feeders for to traveltexas.com, the
seeds too. In fact, one of the best 120 miles along the Rio
ways to see them in the U.S. is Grande offers highly diverse
to watch the feeders at a birding landscapes, ideal climate and
refuge in south Texas, and wait unique protected habitats.
Nine birding sites in the area
for them to drop in for a snack.
are known as the World
Birding Center.
Family Ties
These monogamous birds form a
close pair bond, especially during
the breeding season. Together they
choose a site, build a nest, incubate
the eggs and share parenting
duties until the nestlings fledge
about three weeks after hatching.
Juveniles spend about a year in the
same area as their parents before
starting their own breeding lives.
Vocal Geniuses
Jays are incredible mimics, and GREEN JAY HOT SPOT
green jays are no exception. They To see green jays and other
repeat the calls of hawks and other South Texas specialties,
predators to scare other birds away such as great kiskadees and
from food sources. A flock is noisy, chachalacas, visit Santa Ana
and the green jays are in constant National Wildlife Refuge
communication as they forage for in Alamo, Texas.
food and warn others of potential
danger nearby.
AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 11
TOP 10

Sedums Galore
Splashy succulents transform outdoor spots from dull to dazzling
BY ERICA BROWNE GRIVAS

12 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 2
1 Cape Blanco 2 Petite Bicolor
stonecrop crassula
SEDUM SPATHULIFOLIUM, CRASSULA, ZONES 9 TO 11
ZONES 5 TO 9 With the tiniest of
Cape Blanco’s luminous, leaves, this charming
silver-blue foliage lights option shines in a mixed
up any combination in
1: TIM GAINEY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; 2, 4: LITTLE PRINCE OF OREGON NURSERY WWW.LITTLEPRINCEPLANTS.COM; 3: NAHHANA/SHUTTERSTOCK

container or on its own.

the garden or container Move it indoors in winter
arrangements. This is and grow as a houseplant
a cultivar of a native where not hardy. Watch 3
species, offering up tiny for bees and butterflies to
yellow flowers in summer. stop by in droves during 3 Weihenstephaner Gold orange
As a ground cover, it’ll summer and early fall stonecrop
stretch up to 2 feet. when star-shaped pink PHEDIMUS KAMTSCHATICUM VAR. FLORIFERUM, ZONES 3 TO 8
Why we love it: flowers appear. This plant sports 6-inch-tall olive green foliage that
Truly a standout with its Why we love it: beautifully complements its pink stems and wildlife-
coloration, the shimmery Often referred to as friendly yellow flowers. Its trailing habit, up to 16
leaves can play checkers Little Missy sedum, inches, makes it perfect to use in hanging baskets or
in a landscape with black this pick’s leaves are as a ground cover. It also tolerates deer and drought.
mondo grass (Ophiopogon edged in cream and Why we love it: Abundant blooms appear from June
planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’). flushed pink. to August, then deliver a bonus of tiny reddish fruit.

WARM AND DRY Like other succulents, sedums thrive in poor soil and can even
withstand drought once established. For most, the preferred growing conditions
are gravelly, well-draining soil in full sun. Plant where rain or moisture won’t puddle.

4 Evergreen orpine
HYLOTELEPHIUM ANACAMPSEROS, ZONES 4 TO 9
4 Vertical whorls of bluish-green rosettes add fascination
to your rockery, border or containers, creating contrast
with smaller-leafed varieties. Reaching up to 10 inches
high, this sedum can handle being in poor soil.
Why we love it: The faintly purple flowers are
star shaped and popular with pollinators.

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 13

TOP 10
5 6
5 Coral Carpet
sedum
SEDUM ALBUM, ZONES 3 TO 9
This ground-hugging
chameleon’s coloring
first appears as coral,
shifts to dark green in
summer, and finally
blazes crimson in the fall
and through the winter.
The plant also tolerates
light foot traffic, so go
ahead and plant between
pavers or near pathways.
Why we love it:
Already adorable with
chubby leaves, the frothy
white flowers in summer
make it a knockout (and
butterflies may visit).
WHAT’S IN A NAME? If you find a sedum with Hylotelephium or Phedimus in the
botanical name, that’s not an error. A number of plants previously classified under
the Sedum genus were split off, though they’re still commonly referred to as sedums.
6 Angelina creeping
sedum
SEDUM RUPESTRE,
ZONES 5 TO 8
A sedum with sprucelike
foliage, Angelina quickly
makes a dazzling carpet of
gold, taking on pumpkin-
colored highlights just 7
in time for fall. Standing
4 to 6 inches high, it 7 Autumn Fire sedum
expands to an evergreen HYLOTELEPHIUM TELEPHIUM, ZONES 5 TO 9
mat 1 to 2 feet wide. Grow For a bold garden presence, Autumn Fire is an upright,
as a ground cover and sun-loving, pollinator-friendly choice that fits right in
companion for sun-loving with larger perennials and shrubs in a mixed border.
5, 6, 8, 9, 10: LITTLE PRINCE OF OREGON NURSERY WWW.LITTLEPRINCEPLANTS.COM; 7: WALTERS GARDENS, INC
spring bulbs.
Left over the winter, the flower heads will feed birds
while looking striking, especially if catching snow.
Why we love it:
The fine texture adds Why we love it: This improved form of Autumn
visual pop to a collection Joy blooms longer, with larger, brighter flower heads
of round-leafed sedums. on a sturdier plant.
8 Pink Form southern
stonecrop
SEDUM NEVII, ZONES 4 TO 11
With evergreen foliage that looks
like clusters of miniature roses, this
plant offers gardeners multiple looks:
blue-green at first, then pink in cooler
weather. It’ll grow about 1 foot wide.
Why we love it: Butterflies love
the pale pink flowers smothering the
8 plants in early summer to midsummer.
 9 Spanish Blue
Select stonecrop
SEDUM REFLEXUM,
ZONES 4 TO 9
This mat-former has
vertical, textural blue
stems mimicking conifer
needles. A strong grower,
it’ll mass about 18 inches
wide and 6 inches high,
either in the ground or
spilling from a container.
Why we love it:
The blue-toned foliage
can resemble a Colorado
blue spruce.

MORE SUCCULENTS
TO LOVE
Add color to your
indoor decor with 10
succulents that thrive as
houseplants. To get the
list, scan your phone’s
camera here or go to
birdsandblooms.com
/succulentsAS23.

9
10 Voodoo stonecrop
PHEDIMUS SPURIUM, ZONES 3 TO 9
Add depth and drama to your
garden with this easygoing sedum
pick. Covering up to 2 feet in width,
this trailing, adaptable plant holds
its strong burgundy color all year.
Bees and butterflies visit the vivid
magenta flowers during summer.
Why we love it: You’ll fall for Voodoo’s
year-round swath of drought-tolerant,
saturated color.

Erica Browne Grivas is a lifestyle

writer based in Seattle who watches
for the moment when sedums look
10 like Viking ships before flowering.

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 15

YARD SMARTS

izzas come
P in all shapes,
colors and
flavors! But the basics
are usually the same:
crust, sauce, cheese and
toppings. As a gardener,
you can grow many of
the ingredients for your
sauce and toppings right
outside your back (or
front) door.

SAUCE
Roma Tomato
Great pizza sauce
starts with delicious
Roma tomatoes. Early
Resilience is a rounded
Roma with a deep red
interior color, uniform
maturity and good-
quality flesh for cooking,
which is great for a pizza
sauce. This variety
produces determinate,
bushy plants that are
resistant to blossom
end rot,
giving you a
large yield
and less
fruit loss.
Ear e
l y Re silienc
Oregano
Cleopatra oregano’s

PIZZA: CLAUDIA TOTIR/GETTY IMAGES; VEGGIES: ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS

foliage makes this herb
one worth appreciating

Grow a Pizza for both its ornamental

value and flavor. Unlike
most Greek and Italian
oreganos, it has a mildly

Garden
Skip the grocery store and harvest these
spicy, pepperminty flavor.
Use it in Mediterranean
dishes, soups and sauces.
This compact, trailing
plant develops a high
favorite garden-fresh toppings at home yield of leaves that are
flavorful as a dried
spice when fresh
isn’t an option.
Cl e
op a
tr a

16 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 Onion
Super Star is an
improved white sweet
onion recommended
for all spring gardens in
North America. Most
onions require either
long days with more than
12 hours of sunlight or
short days to bulb. But
Super Star is widely
adaptable. Resistant to
pink root, these onions
are exceptional
when eaten
raw, in
salads or
up cooked
S
er S in sauces.
tar
TOPPINGS
Sweet Peppers
Dragonfly plants
yield beautiful purple
peppers. The peppers
transform from green
into purple fruits that
are delicious at any stage
of maturity. With their
above-average, robust
flavor, they’ll add plenty
of color and taste to
QUICKFIRE: BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY; PIZZA CUTTER: NEVODKA/SHUTTERSTOCK
your pizza.
ly
nf
Drago
Ju
st
Sw e e t
A vivid yellow
snacking pepper with
four lobes like a larger
bell pepper, Just Sweet
is ideal for smaller
pizzas. The 3-inch fruits
are deliciously sweet
with thick walls, and the
plants have been bred to
have a strong bushy habit.
Colorful Tomatoes with subtle yellow
Now you can experience stripes. Enjoy
the sweet, mild flavor the citruslike
Sweetie Pie is a of an orange heirloom flavor and
mini bell pepper that’s tomato only 75 days from a perfect
easy to grow, with an transplant with hybrid tomato
Ch
excellent fruit set even Chef’s Choice Orange. texture. ef
’s C e
n
under hot and humid Its disease h o i ce G re
conditions. It’ll also resistance Basil
adapt well to a container is an added Dolce Fresca basil has
or small garden. Fruits bonus. sweet, tender leaves that
are thick-walled, sweet This pick maintain an attractive,
and flavorful, and can be has a bright, almost compact shape. The plant
harvested when they’re neon, internal color, thrives in containers,
green or red. Eat them and superior flesh taste borders or
fresh, grilled, stir-fried and texture. as a focal
or baked on a pizza. Pink Delicious is an point in
early maturing the garden.
Hot Peppers tomato with Select this
For a cayenne pepper a balanced basil if
with extra-large fruit, try sweet and you need
Wildcat. The 8-inch acidic flavor. a drought-
Do
peppers have a smoky The fruit has lce tolerant,
Fr e s c a
flavor and peppery an heirloom look, flavor hardy plant,
sweetness with a mild and texture, and the are searching for a new
pungency of 500 to plant is easy to grow and better basil or want
1,500 Scoville heat because of its hybrid great Mediterranean
units, which means disease resistance and taste on your pizza.
they’re in the mild improved germination.
range of the heat scale. If you’re wanting a Story courtesy of All-
Mighty, strong and uniquely colored tomato America Selections. Find
hot, Quickfire peppers to top your pizza with, more creative gardening
deliver plenty of hot Thai- look no further than
tips at ngb.org.
type fruits of 40,000 Chef’s Choice Green.
Scoville units. The The tomato produces
compact, sturdy beautiful green fruits
plant is ideal
f ire
for container
ck
gardening.
ui
Buffy has a Q
good yield of juicy, thick-
walled green to red fruits
at 500,000 Scoville units
on strong, upright plants.
fy
Buf
17
ESSENTIALS

Luna Moth Traits

If you’re lucky enough to come across this night-flying
garden guest, here’s how to successfully identify it

Adults have no mouth parts

and never consume a meal.
Both sexes have two feathery
antennae, but a male uses his
wider yellow-green ones to Moonlike eyespots dot
detect a female’s pheromones. each of the four wings.

Although mostly
green, the forewings
have a dark edge.

The tail extends 1 or 2

inches past the bottom
wing and serves as a
defense mechanism. Bats
Wingspan of about aim for the tail, which the
4 inches or more. moth can live without.

Luna moths
found in the are
JOHN CANCALOSI/NPL/MINDEN PICTURES

eastern
U.S. and Ca
n ad
ATTRACT LUNAS WITH MORE TREES and live only a,
Luna moth caterpillars nosh on the leaves of birch, in
Nor th Amer
ica.
walnut, hickory, pecan, persimmon, sweet gum and
other trees. The 3-inch, bright green caterpillars might
be as thick as a thumb. No matter the stage, members
of this species rarely stray far from the host plants.

18 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

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 BIRD TALES

Colors of
Summer
Bold birds show
off their vibrant
good looks

FINALIST

2022 PHOTO CONTEST

This male
indigo bunting
sang from a sunflower at
McKee-Beshers Wildlife
Management Area near
Poolesville, Maryland.
I love this photograph
because of the brilliant
colors, especially the rich
contrast between the
blue, yellow and green,
and the sharp detail of
this beautiful bird.
James Stone BURKE, VA
BIRD TALES

I braved 101-
degree heat
on a summer day in
search of giant sunflowers
in Ennis, Texas, where
I had seen them years ago.
A homeowner allowed
me in her fields and said
I was lucky to have come
in time—the flowers
were being harvested the
following week. It wasn’t
long until a gorgeous male
painted bunting landed
on a sunflower! He was
perfect, singing away,
seemingly unfazed by
the heat. I was thrilled!
Clarissa Elizondo
EULESS, TX

A pair of Baltimore orioles

nested in a large poplar tree at the back of my
property. Early that summer, the young fledged, and
I was fortunate to watch the male feed the juveniles
almost daily. This photo shows one of the juveniles
begging for food. Bill McMullen ROCKLAND, ON

22 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 It was as if
this blue jay were posing
just for me in my backyard
many years ago. Thanks
to the depth of field, the
house in the background
is blurred out, providing
a backdrop that lets the
beautiful bird stand out.
Luckily, it didn’t mind me
getting too close.
Kevin Wiser AURORA, IL

HOT
TOPIC

When it comes to blue

jays, bird-watchers have
different opinions. Some
people love to see their
beautiful plumage and
set out seeds and nuts
for them to dine on. But
others see them as feeder
aggressors because they
are big, loud and feisty.
 My daughter
and I weren’t
the only ones
enjoying the
sunflowers.
Goldfinches
loved them too.
Blair Celano
SPRING LAKE, MI

24 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 BIRD TALES

I put oranges out for the orioles,

and this western tanager showed up! I was
surprised, as I had no idea that tanagers like
to eat oranges. Karl Hiller CENTERVILLE, UT

Ruby-throated
hummingbirds loved
the red flowers on the
trumpet vines at our farm
in Winston, Georgia. All
summer they visited each
and every bloom on the
vines—and there were so
many flowers. I would try
to follow just one bird to
photograph it, but it was
always too fast for me.
Finally, I set up my tripod
and focused my Nikon at
a particular flower and
waited for a hummer to
visit that one. When one
did, I got the photos I had
been hoping for at last.
Diane Yancey
POWDER SPRINGS, GA

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 25

 BIRD TALES

I love
gardening,
not only for myself but
for the birds, bees and
butterflies that also enjoy
the blooms and seeds.
I captured this yellow
warbler sitting on top
of one of my Mammoth
sunflowers while the bees
were buzzing around.
Jennifer Sigmon
OGDENSBURG, NY

While visiting
one of my favorite wildlife
sanctuaries, Daniel
Webster in Marshfield,
Massachusetts, I enjoyed
the large population of
common yellowthroats
foraging among the berries.
I love how they can be so
tricky and unpredictable.
This one sneaked up on me
while I was admiring the
abundant berries!
Michael Rossacci
ARLINGTON, MA
My wife and I found this ruby-throated
hummingbird in our backyard. We planted cannas for the
first time, and they helped attract hummingbirds. I think
the canna in different stages of blooming and forming
seeds also adds to the attractiveness of this photo.
Lorvey Stark LINCOLN, NE

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 27

 flycatcher
Scissor-tailed
STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI; INSECT: POTAPOV ALEXANDER/SHUTTERSTOCK
MEET THE BIRDS NAMED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO CATCH
INSECTS ON THE FLY BY KENN AND KIMBERLY K AUFMAN
 Western
kingbird

LYC ATC H I N G has a particular meaning in

the world of birds: perching in one spot to
watch for flying insects, swooping out to catch
them in midair and then returning to the perch.
And members of the flycatcher family are
masters of this behavior.
More than 400 species of flycatchers are
found between Alaska and the southern tip of
South America, most of them living deep in the
tropics. North of the Mexican border, about
35 species are seen regularly.
Bird-watchers sometimes have trouble
identifying flycatchers because so many kinds
look almost identical and are recognized
mainly by their voices. When getting to know
these birds, it helps to start by separating them
into categories. Here’s a brief introduction to
the main groups of flycatchers.

30 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

FROM LEFT: BOB KOTHENBEUTEL; STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI

Eastern kingbird
Say’s phoebe The Bold Kingbirds
These flycatchers are famed for their
commanding behavior, fearlessly
attacking much larger birds that get too
close to their nests—crows, hawks and
even eagles.
The eastern kingbird is widespread
in summer over the eastern two-thirds
of North America, often perching on
fences or roadside wires. You may notice
it first by its buzzy, sputtering cries as
it flies overhead, chasing away some big
bird and flashing the broad white band
at the tip of its tail. During summer in
the Great Plains, the eastern kingbird
overlaps with the western kingbird,
which has similar habits but different
colors, including a bright yellow belly.
Five other kingbirds are found in
Florida, parts of the West and near
the Mexican border. And a relative
of kingbirds, the spectacular scissor-
tailed flycatcher, is seen from Texas up
to Nebraska, east to Missouri and south
to Louisiana. In addition, it represents
Oklahoma as the state bird.

Black phoebe

Eastern phoebe

32 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 The Gentle Phoebes Eastern wood-
Fee-bee! Fee-bee! The eastern phoebe pewee
helps out birders by singing its name in
a soft, throaty whistle. Modestly colored
in gray and white, this flycatcher can be
recognized by its voice and by its habit
of gently wagging its tail down and then
up. It often lives near people, placing
its nest under the eaves of houses or
under bridges. While most flycatchers
migrate to the tropics in winter to keep
up with their insect prey, many eastern
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: FRANCIS & JANICE BERGQUIST; KATHY ADAMS CLARK/KAC PRODUCTIONS; BRIAN ZWIEBEL; FRANCIS & JANICE BERGQUIST; BOB KOTHENBEUTEL; JOHN GILL

phoebes stay through the season in

the southeastern states, surviving on
berries during the coldest weather.
Two western relatives share the tail-
wagging habit. The black phoebe lives
mostly along streams and rivers, while
the earth-toned Say’s phoebe usually
sticks to dry plains and ranch country.

The Subtle Wood-Pewees

The eastern wood-pewee is another Olive-sided
small flycatcher named for its song. It flycatcher
perches high in trees in summer and
sings pee-ya-weee? peeyerrr! It’s often
hard to see, but it continues singing all
spring and summer long. The plaintive
whistles provide some of the most
pleasing sounds of eastern forests.
From the Great Plains westward, this
bird is replaced by the western wood-
pewee, which looks almost identical
but has a harsh, buzzy song: pzzzeeyeer!
Related to the wood-pewees are the
greater pewee of the southwestern
mountains and the olive-sided
flycatcher found in northern forests.

Western wood-pewee
 Great crested
flycatcher

The Colorful
Crested Flycatchers

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI; DAVE WELLIING;
While most flycatchers wear hues that
are subdued or even drab, the crested
flycatchers show more color, with
yellow bellies and reddish brown in the
wings and tail. The most widespread
type in North America is the great
crested flycatcher. It’s common in
eastern forests during summer, where
it might be located by its loud cries
of wheep, wheep! In the West, the ash-
throated flycatcher is a little smaller
and paler, with a softer voice, and lives
in open woods and desert country.
Two other flycatcher species, the
Ash-throated flycatcher brown-crested and the dusky-capped,
live close to the Mexican border.

34 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023


Least flycatcher
While most other members of the
family build their nests in the open
among branches of trees or shrubs,
crested flycatchers place their nests in
cavities in trees, and they sometimes
nest in birdhouses, mailboxes or other
JOHANN SCHUMACHER DESIGN; ROLFNUSSBAUMER.COM
human-made sites.
The Confusing Empidonax
Even experienced birders may be
mystified when faced with one of the
Empidonax flycatchers. Often called
“Empids” for short, these 11 species of
small flycatchers all look almost the
same. Colored in tones of olive and gray,
with underparts varying from whitish to
pale yellow, they all have pale wing bars
and most have a contrasting pale ring
around each eye.
Flycatchers in general are not the most musical birds,
but they have a notable distinction from other singers.
Most kinds of songbirds have to learn their tunes:
If they don’t hear the song of their species, they’ll
never learn to sing it properly. But flycatchers have
an instinct to make exactly the right sounds for their
own kind—a useful ability in a group where so many
species look so much alike.
Willow
flycatcher
Differences among these 11 species are
slight. For example, the least flycatcher
is very small and shows strong contrast
in its white wing bars and white eye On summer evenings,
ring, while the willow flycatcher is Kenn and Kimberly
slightly larger and browner and often Kaufman are serenaded
shows only a faint eye ring. The songs of by the buzzy fitz-
all the species are different, but they’re bew songs of willow
mostly bursts of snappy, buzzy or flycatchers from the
squeaky notes, so even these are hard thickets behind their
to tell apart without some practice. Ohio home.
So what should you do if you spot an
Empid, or some other flycatcher that
you can’t identify? Just take pleasure in
observing it. Watch its perky actions as it
peers about, on full alert, waiting for an
insect to nab in midair. After all, even the
experts can’t always tell them apart, so
don’t worry about putting a name on it.•
AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 35
 GRACEFUL in
the GARDEN
Dragonflies nimbly
dance through
landscapes and parks
during the summer
months. Readers
caught these serene
moments of rest.


THIS COOL LITTLE DRAGONFLY kept trying to land on

me while I was at Ravine Gardens State Park early one morning.
I waited for it to find somewhere else to rest so I could capture
this photo. Jim Bailey EAST PALATKA, FL

36 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

ON A HOT SUMMER
day on my patio, I spotted
this friendly dragonfly
on my echeveria plant.
The natural lighting was
perfect, and my iPhone
11 Pro Max captured this
amazing photo.
Kimberly Ward
DURHAM, NH
 AN AUGUST DAY
found me at my favorite
blackberry patch, which
was practically dripping
with fruit. I reached out to
pluck a handful and froze
when I saw this dragonfly
sitting perfectly still.
Camera in hand, I got as
close as I could with time
to take numerous shots.
The beautifully colored
body and the translucent
wings surprised and
delighted me.
Martha Lane
BELLEVUE, WA

Cool Dragonfly
FACTS
Surprising tidbits about
these interesting fliers
•
Dragonflies breathe
using holes, or gills, which
are in their abdomens.
•
Tell the difference
between a dragonfly and
a damselfly by looking at the
wings. Dragonfly wings point
away from the bodies
when at rest.
•
Two pairs of transparent
wings help dragonflies fly
up to 35 mph.
 

I CAME ACROSS THIS VERY CURIOUS

 dragonfly on a chilly, damp day while at work. It was
AS I ENJOYED in the wet grass, and when I put my hand down, it
the visitors in the pollinator crawled onto my finger—not shy at all! It seemed to
garden, this dragonfly landed like the camera, letting me take a few shots before it
on a spent coneflower. I love flew off. I think it warmed up from my body heat.
the way the sun highlights Paul Kneebone WOODLAND PARK, CO •
its wings. My kids and I were
quite intrigued by this flier!
Diana Hudgins
SANDY HOOK, VA

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 39

REACHING NEW

Easy to grow and

guaranteed to add
bursts of showy
blossoms to any
garden, gladioluses,
the classic summer
bloomers, are
making a comeback
Mixed
gladioluses BY WENDY
in a summer HELFENBAUM
garden
 RACING GARDENS FOR
GENERATIONS, the fast-growing
gladiolus is a member of the
iris family, featuring multiple
funnel-shaped blossoms
clustered together alongside
narrow, bladelike leaves. Named
for gladius, the Latin word for
“sword,” the genus is also known
as flag flower and sword lily. Glads, as they’re
often called, add drama to small spaces and
are perfect for cut-flower arrangements.
Most varieties are hardy in Zones 7 to 10,
but some are rated hardy to Zone 5. They’re
easy to plant, deer resistant and affordable,
says David R. Clark, a certified nursery and
landscape professional with the New York
State Nursery and Landscape Association
Inc., in Hamburg, New York.
“You can buy a bag of 45 unnamed corms
from your local garden center or home
construction store for $17 to $20,” David says.

AN EXOTIC PAST
Gladioluses flourish in many North American
gardens, but most varieties are native to arid
African and Mediterranean areas, David says.
“There are more than 300 species of
gladiolus worldwide—260 originating from
South Africa, 76 from tropical Africa and 10
Asian and Mediterranean European ones,
which are some of the hardiest,” he says.
Plant breeders developed the first large-
flowered hybrid types in the late 1830s, and
now glads offer amazing color and texture.

SIZES, SHAPES AND COLORS

FOR ANY GARDEN
Gladioluses range in height and flower
shape, with hues including solid orange,
GAP PHOTOS/VISIONS

pink, white, red, lavender, green, white and

brown, plus many bicolor, streaked, ruffled
and double forms. Grandiflora hybrids rise
up to 6 feet tall, with classic trumpet-shaped
blossoms measuring about 6 inches across.

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 41


Gladioluses come
in an array of hues.
Try these interesting
varieties. From left:
Nymph, Green Star,
Atom Hardy, Mon
Amour, Bizar Dutch.
These hybrids feature 12 to 20 flowers
per stem. Dwarf grandiflora hybrids grow
up to 3 feet, with 3-inch-wide open-faced
blossoms. This type includes butterfly glads,
distinguished by their bright centers. Nanus
hybrids bloom in early to midsummer,
standing 1 to 2 feet tall with about six blooms
per stem, making them perfect for mixed
beds. Find them in red, white, pink or rose.
Byzantine glads, which have naturalized
in many southern gardens, bloom earlier
than grandifloras. They grow to 3 feet tall
with 10 to 12 tubular magenta flowers per
stem. Dalenii hybrids grow 2 to 4 feet tall
and can be recognized by their hooded
blossoms. Hardier than grandifloras, they
weather winters in Zone 6 or warmer.
“One hardier species, Gladiolus murielae,
evolved in Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia)
and Madagascar and is called the Abyssinian
42 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023
TOP, FROM LEFT: BRECKS.COM; GAP PHOTOS/GEOFF DU FEU; BRECKS.COM; GAP PHOTOS/VISIONS; HOLLANDBULBFARMS.COM; BOTTOM: ABDURAMANOVA ELENA/SHUTTERSTOCK
or peacock gladiolus—it’s shorter and pure
white with a butterfly shape in the middle
that has a lavender or raspberry color,” says
David, noting this fragrant variety blooms
later in the summer.
GIVE GLADS PROPER CARE
Glads can be grown in cutting or perennial
gardens, pots, raised beds and vegetable
gardens and do best with at least six hours
of full sun daily, according to David.
“They like well-draining, moderately
fertile soil,” he says. “If you have healthy
soil, you’ll have healthy plants, so I’m a big
proponent of soil testing.”
For maximum impact, David recommends
planting gladiolus corms a few weeks after
the last spring frost in groups of seven to 10
that are about 5 inches apart.
Fertilize according to your soil test results.
Or, David says, “Buy a 5-10-5 or a 5-10-10
fertilizer and put down 2 to 3 pounds per 100
square feet, plus some compost.”
Plant corms 4 to 8 inches deep, depending
on which variety you’re growing, and water
well. Flowers start opening about 80 days
after planting. For continuous blooms, plant
additional corms every other week until
early July.
“Gladioluses need good air movement to
avoid insect and disease problems, so don’t
plant them around walls and nonventilated
fences,” David says.
Miniature varieties don’t require staking,
and taller glads won’t need support if they’re
planted in clumps among large dahlias, canna
lilies or benary zinnias. To ward off pests
such as aphids, thrips and spider mites, David
suggests keeping the plants healthy with at
least an inch of water twice weekly.
5
UNIQUE
“If you see pests or if your plants are sticky, GLADIOLUS
squirt them with a good blast of your garden PICKS
hose a couple of times a week,” he says.
HAPPY HARVESTING
A pro tip from David: Cut gladioluses will last
longer if you harvest them when the bottom
two flowers are fully open.
“Harvest in the morning because that’s
when there’s the highest moisture content
in the cells,” he says. “Leave four spiky
leaves on that plant in the ground so it can
recharge itself and make a new corm that
you could possibly harvest in the fall.
If you use a professional floral water
fortifier that contains pH adjusters,
sugar and biocide to keep the water
clear, they should last up to two weeks
with beautiful curvaceous growth
where the tips bend toward the
light, and they’ll look fabulous.”
Where glads are not hardy, dig
up corms, cut off all but an inch of
foliage and let them dry for two
weeks indoors before storing in
a cool, dry place. •
• MON AMOUR features a
traditional pastel combination
of pink, soft yellow and ivory, with
a raspberry bead in the center.
• BIZAR DUTCH features a
two-toned, red-and-white flower
that attracts hummingbirds. It
contrasts nicely with solid glad varieties, and its
compact size means it does not require staking.
• GREEN STAR provides a punch of color
in flower beds with its lime green blossoms
sporting ruffled edges.
• NYMPH’S creamy white petals have a
purple-rose mark, and the plant adds a touch
of elegance to garden beds. This fragrant variety
is hardy and flowers earlier than other glads.
• ATOM HARDY is a late-summer bloomer
that’s worth the wait, thanks to its butterfly-
shaped, boldly orange-red, curled petals
outlined in silvery white.
Wendy Helfenbaum
is a Zone 5 gardener
who is partial to pink
and white gladioluses.
She was delighted to
find a common glad
thriving under a bush
last summer.
AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 43
 WIN
$1,000!
Send us your
favorite shots for
a chance to score
the top prize.

2022 GRAND PRIZE

WINNER: WATER LILIES
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MADISON, AL

ANNUAL

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for the annual Birds & Blooms Photo Contest. Send us your phone’s camera here.
best photo in one (or each) of our three categories—birds,
butterflies and blooms—for your chance to win the $1,000
grand prize. Enter by Sept. 1! You’ll see the 12 finalists in the
December/January issue and at birdsandblooms.com/contests,
where you can vote for your favorites in each category.

44 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

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 BACKYARD CHAT

Blooming
yucca plant

Pros offer tips to help struggling plants, protect baby birds and more
IDEALPHOTOART.COM/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Q My six yucca plants send
up new leaves, but only two
of them bloom. What can I do
to get more flowers?
Steve Richman ATHENS, PA
Melinda: Yuccas thrive and flower best in full sun and
well-draining soil. Make sure all six plants are receiving
sufficient sunlight. Avoid excess fertilization, as too much
nitrogen fertilizer promotes leaf growth and can interfere
with flowering. See if the nonflowering plants are more
exposed to fertilizer that’s applied to the surrounding area
or lawn. Yuccas also tend to be biennial flowering plants,
which means you may see flowers every other year, or
different plants may flower in alternating years.

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 47

ASK THE EXPERTS
Northern
cardinal
Q By late summer my milkweed plants are
attacked by milkweed bugs. How can I safely
eliminate the bugs? Jan Mooney BALTIMORE, MD
Melinda: Fortunately, milkweed bugs do not cause
permanent damage to milkweed plants, but large
populations can crowd out the monarch caterpillars.
Try knocking the unwanted insects into a can of soapy
water. This method is a bit faster and easier than hand-
picking and squashing individual insects. Avoid using
insecticides, as even organic products can harm the
monarch caterpillars.
Q Is this a flower or weed growing in my yard?
Arlene Schultz MILWAUKEE, WI
Melinda: Your mystery plant is an amaranth. These plants
have relatives that are considered weeds, edible species
mostly grown for their nutritious seeds, and varieties
bred for their ornamental appeal. This amaranth
likely found its way into your garden via a bird that
dropped seeds. Keep the plant if you like, or remove
it or the fading flowers to prevent it from setting seeds
and sprouting many more plants in next year’s garden.
48 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023
TOP: STEVE AND DAVE MASLOWSKI; RIGHT: DOREENWYNJA.COM PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE GARDEN OF BUD DETRICK
Q My mailbox is constantly
soiled by robins and other
birds that love to sit on it.
Is there anything I can do
to deter them?
Mady Breeden BEAR, DE
Kenn and Kimberly: Birds in our
yards bring joy to our lives, but in some
places their waste can be problematic.
Fortunately, harmless products are
available to prevent birds from perching
in certain areas. These range from strips
of flexible spikes to small reflective
spinners that can be mounted in place.
Or you might try a floral arrangement
made specifically to attach to a mailbox;
you could add a reflective spinner to
seasonal flowers. Be sure to check with
your local post office, though, before
altering your mailbox. And never use glue
traps or other products that can seriously
harm birds.
 Q My bigleaf
hydrangea has not
bloomed in the past
two years (and it had
limited blue flowers
before that). I don’t
cut back until I see
green sprouts in spring.
What’s the problem?
Don Leeper KENT, OH

Melinda: Bigleaf hydrangeas

(Hydrangea macrophylla) form
their flower buds on stems from
the previous season of flowering.
In colder climates such as yours, the
plants often die back to the ground,
eliminating the flower buds so you
are left with nothing but a leafy
shrub. The repeat-blooming varieties
of bigleaf hydrangeas are supposed
to have two sets of flowers, with the
first buds set the previous year and
the second on new growth.
Leave your hydrangea to stand
in winter and mulch around it to
increase the chance of the flower
buds surviving the cold. Remove
only dead stems in spring, which
may mean pruning to ground level.
Fertilize the plants in spring and
keep the soil moist, not wet, to
encourage flowering. I have seen
success using Milorganite nitrogen
fertilizer that contains nonleaching
phosphorus. Research found that
Blue Nikko
bigleaf when microorganisms released
hydrangea the nutrients from the Milorganite
pellets, some of the phosphorous
and potassium bound to the soil
also became available to the plants.
Phosphorous promotes flowering,
fruiting and root development, while
potassium helps with hardiness and
disease resistance.
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q I spotted this nest in the frond of a giant
bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai). What kind
of bird made it? Miriam Kirk FALLBROOK, CA
Kenn and Kimberly: Identifying nests is usually more
of a challenge than identifying actual birds, but in this
case there are a couple of good possibilities. Hooded
orioles weave nests out of long, thin grasses and other
plant fibers, and often suspend them among the fronds
of palms and similar plants such as this one. In your area,
hooded orioles are fairly common nesting birds. Another
possibility would be the scaly-breasted munia, a small
finchlike bird native to southern Asia. Munias that escaped
from captivity have established a population in southern
California, and their nests can look something like this.
Q This plant blooms twice a year. What is it?
Jeff Adickes BRUNSWICK, GA
Melinda: How lucky to be able to grow a crinum lily in
your yard and enjoy these unique blossoms. Also known
as cape lily or cemetery plant, it is hardy in Zones 7 to
10. Crinum lilies prefer full sun and moist soil but
tolerate partial shade. They’re also fairly drought
tolerant once established. It may take two years
for newly planted bulbs to flower, but after
four or five years you can divide the plants
or remove the offset bulbs to expand your
collection. It takes a bit longer for offset bulbs to
reach maturity and begin to bloom than divisions.
50 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023
Q What’s this caterpillar
going to turn into?
Carla Sherack ALTURA, MN
Kenn and Kimberly: The large size and
the little “horn” at the tail end are hints
that this is one of the sphinx moths, also
called hummingbird moths. This one is
a hermit sphinx (Lintneria eremitus),
known by the large black spot on the top
of its head. The species is widespread in
southern Canada and the eastern United
States, and its larvae feed on leaves of
basil, sage and other members of the mint
family. The adult hermit sphinx moths have
gray-brown wings with wavy lines, and you
might see them hovering around flowers
in the evening.
Q How can I stop snakes
from eating baby birds and
eggs in my yard, without
harming the snakes?
Peggy Thompson GRANVILLE, IL
Kenn and Kimberly: Eggs and baby birds
are vulnerable to a variety of predators,
including snakes. Rat snakes, corn snakes
and others eat many mice but also climb
trees to find bird nests. When you set up
a nest box, protect it by placing a baffle on
the pole below the box, wide enough to
prevent snakes and other predators from
HUMMINGBIRD: RCK_953/SHUTTERSTOCK
climbing. (Don’t put grease or oil on the
pole, because birds can be harmed if it gets
on their feathers.) Unfortunately, there’s
no good way to keep predators away
from nests in natural situations, such as in
shrubs or trees. But native predators such
as snakes are a part of nature, and birds
that lose their first brood often will make
another attempt in a safer location.
 Thanks to
BetterWOMAN, I’m
winning the battle for

Frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom,

Male black-chinned
hummingbird
Q I seem to only see female black-
chinned hummingbirds in my area.
Where have all the males gone?
Marlys Baldwin GARDEN RIDGE, TX
Kenn and Kimberly: Among black-chinneds and
some other hummingbirds, it often seems as if the
males have disappeared. This is especially true during
and after the nesting season, because all the newly
fledged young birds look very much like adult females,
outnumbering the more colorful males. They prefer
different habits too. Males often perch very high, such
as on treetop twigs, to scan for females or rival males,
while females stay down at garden level and are easier
to spot. And since hummingbirds don’t form pair
bonds, a male may depart from the area after mating,
leaving the female to raise her young.
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FIELD GUIDE

Adult male
ruby-throated
hummingbird ales and females
of many bird
species display
different traits
and behaviors,
and this is especially true for
hummingbirds.
According to Peter Pyle, staff
biologist at The Institute for Bird
Populations, the real difference
between adult male and female
hummingbirds is in the head and
neck feathers.
Females do not have full bright
gorgets as the males do. Instead,
in most species, they sport white
throats that are sometimes spotted
with dull gray-brown dots, and
perhaps a small patch of iridescent
feathers, depending on the species.
They also tend to have slightly less-
vibrant back and wing feathers.

Reason to Shine

ADULT MALE & FEMALE RUBY-THROATEDS: BILL LEAMAN; IMMATURE MALE RUBY-THROATED: DEBORAH ALLEN
Male hummingbirds have showier
feathers for one reason: to attract
potential mates. “It’s all for display
purposes,” Peter says. He notes that
they have an impressive trick to get
the females’ attention.
“The males can flip their gorget
feathers in the sun,” he says. “So
when a female lands near a male
at his courting post, he knows how
to flip his throat so it looks like a
strobe light that flashes on and off.”

In the Details Extra Tricky IDs

In summer and fall, birders
have a new challenge when
young hummingbirds become
Easy ways to differentiate between male, more active, leave the nest and
migrate south, because adult
female and immature hummingbirds females and immature males
BY RACHEL MAIDL are much easier to misidentify.
“You have to look at the details
on the throat to tell a young
male from a female—and in

52 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023


Immature male
ruby-throated
Immature male
rufous (or Allen’s)
RUFOUS: MLHARING/GETTY IMAGES; ADULT FEMALE RUFOUS: BLICKWINKEL/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
IMMATURE MALE RUFOUS OR ALLEN’S: RICK & NORA BOWERS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; ADULT MALE
Adult male
rufous
some species you really
can’t,” Peter says. That’s because
young male hummingbirds hatch
without the bright neck feathers
the adult males have.
Peter points out that male
hummingbirds start to get hints
of their adult gorgets about a
month after leaving the nest,
which is around August or
September in many areas. But it
can happen even earlier in some
species, such as the rufous.
The males grow up fast. After
arriving at their wintering
grounds, Peter says, these tiny
fliers complete the process
of molting and afterward look
just like the older males.
Female
ruby-throated
FEMALE
Special Activities FACTS
A few key features
You may also be able to identify a
set the ladies apart
male versus female hummingbird
based on what it is doing. • Similar to some
raptors, many female
When it’s the breeding
season, the two sets of birds take hummingbirds are slightly
on dramatically different day-to- larger in size than males.
day tasks. • Along with their heftier
The male hummingbirds spend build, females often have
their time perched on top of trees a longer bill.
and shrubs when they aren’t • By the time they leave
out searching for food. They use the nest, juvenile female
these lookouts to defend their hummingbirds usually
territory and feeders from rival look almost identical to
males and to keep an eye out for adult females.
potential mates.
“It’s typical with all birds
that bigger, stronger males may
dominate a little bit more and be
aggressive—especially toward
other males,” Peter says.
Meanwhile, the females do all
the work raising the young. So if Adult female rufous
you see an adult hummingbird hummingbird
tending to a nest, you can safely
assume it’s a female.
AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023 birdsandblooms.com 53
ACROSS THE FENCE

What butterfly
is your favorite?
Readers share which fluttering beauties
they love most and why
Since I started gardening, I have discovered several skipper Monarchs are
species. At the neighborhood teaching garden, the kids my favorite
like learning about the butterflies that visit. They get because I raise

SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: WIRESTOCK, INC./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; GIANT SWALLOWTAIL: LEENA ROBINSON/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; MONARCH: THAWATS/GETTY IMAGES
a kick out of trying to say “silver-spotted skipper”
them. It is a
fast three times. Eva Bellinger SUN PRAIRIE, WI
miracle to watch
them change
My favorite is the western tiger swallowtail from caterpillar
because it visits my flowers every summer.
Esther Koontz BAKER CITY, OR
to butterfly.
I’m teaching
my grandkids
Mourning cloak because, to me, seeing one the importance
is a sign of spring. Karen Holmes COOPER, ME of helping
pollinators.
Giant Patti Brown PERRY, KS
swallowtail
on cleome
I am fascinated by
black swallowtails
and their beauty, from
the moment the eggs
hatch until they morph
into breathtaking
butterflies.
Angela Raye GROVEPORT, OH

YOUR TURN!

The giant swallowtail is my favorite butterfly. They’re a

Q: How do you
help birds
rarity to see in the Flint Hills of Kansas where I hike. They in cold weather?
have such vibrant yellow markings on their delicate wings. Share your answer with us at
Jennifer Broadstreet Hess MARION, KS birdsandblooms.com/submit.

54 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 YOU DON’T SAY

Caption This!
Busted! A hungry raccoon steals
a sweet treat from a feeder.

T iffany Wagner from Wabash,

Indiana, caught this raccoon
as it stole grape jelly intended for
the orioles. What is this feeder
bandit thinking?
SHARE YOUR CAPTION
Your funny caption for this feeder
scene could appear in the next
issue. Share your clever idea at
birdsandblooms.com/caption.

L A S T ISSU E ’S
WIN N IN G
C A P TIO N
the
“I must get to
s
salon—my nail
s!”
look like talon
HUMMINGBIRD: LINDA PETERSEN

Caption submitted by Diane Nehls of Kennewick, Washington.

SHARE YOUR BEST FUNNY NATURE PHOTOS!

Follow the Submission Guidelines on page 56.
FOR THE READER
®

Find the Hummingbird EDITORIAL

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Find content from these field editors in this issue: VP, Consumer Marketing Planning
Jim Woods
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Volunteer nature lovers from across the U.S. and Canada belong to our Birds & Blooms VP, Operations Michael Garzone
Field Editor family. They share tips, stories, photos and happenings from their very own Content Director, Strategy & Performance
backyards, neighborhoods and regions. Nicole Doster

56 birdsandblooms.com AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

 Prostrate
mi
lk

we
ed

58 birdsandblooms.com
DID YOU KNOW?

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 2023

1

24
and northern Mexico.
Prostrate milkweed (A.
Milkweed is the

native varieties.

milkweed as a host plant: queens and soldiers.

with only 24 populations

remaining in South Texas
prostrata) is endangered,
one and only host

Though monarchs are the most well known, two

which prefer local,
plant for monarchs,

other orange-and-black butterflies in the U.S. use

What to know about this butterfly garden staple

seedpod
milkweed
48

40

Monarch on
Mighty Milkweed
More than 140
140
found in nature.

up of five hoods.
states (and

typically have

for World War II sailors.

species to choose from.
species of milkweed

all have native milkweed

(Asclepias spp.) are

facing corona made

The lower 48

nine Canadian provinces)

BY JILL STA AKE

five downward-facing

The floss from two bags of

ripe milkweed pods (40 lbs.
Milkweed flowers

petals, and an upward-

total) could fill one life jacket

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: JOEY SANTORE/CRIME PAYS BUT BOTANY DOESN’T; RICHARD DAY/DAYBREAK IMAGERY; SKIP MOODY/DEMBINSKY PHOTO ASSOCIATES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

BIRDS & BLOOMS (ISSN 1084-5305) (USPS 013-271), Vol. 29, No. 4, August/September 2023 © RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC, 2023. Published bimonthly by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC, 1610 N. 2nd St., Suite 102, Milwaukee WI 53212-3906. Periodicals Postage Paid at
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Scissor-tailed
flycatcher

If one truly loves

nature, one finds
beauty everywhere.”
—Vincent van Gogh