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Win an insect repellent kit from BugBand! Search for Webster in the “Birds” section this month.
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Listen to the songs of our 50 Most Wanted Birds.
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See more great photos in our Photo Galleries»
Dear $$firstname$$,
It’s the middle of May, and our new Backyard Video Contest is well under way. For this contest, we’re looking for great backyard videos of birds, squirrels, insects, great garden moments and more. So grab your camera and head outside. We’re accepting entries until June 30, 2008. Learn more about the contest and prizes here.
And speaking of contests, don’t forget to vote for your favorite photograph in our Backyard Photo Contest. This is our first round of finalists, and your vote counts!
Bird of the Month: Mountain Bluebird
Photo: Roland Jordahl.
This western bird is a welcome addition to any backyard with its brilliant blue coloring. If you’re lucky enough to have it in your region, be sure to set out mealworms. And even if you don’t have the mountain bluebird in your area, you just might attract an eastern bluebird instead!
Scientific Name: Sialia currucoides.
Family: Thrush.
Length: 7-1/4 inches.
Wingspan: 14 inches.
Distinctive Markings: Males are brilliant blue all over. Females are gray overall with pale-blue feathers on tail and wings.
Nest: Pair builds a grass nest in cavity or birdhouse. Lays four to six pale-blue eggs between April and July.
Habitat: Meadows, clearings and open forests at elevations of 10,000 to 12,000 feet.
Song: Similar to the eastern bluebird's song, but slightly higher pitched.
Diet: Insects and berries.
Backyard Favorite: Live mealworms.
Listen to this bird’s song by visiting our 50 Most Wanted Birds section on the Web site.
Photo of the Month
Stephanie Acers of Grain Valley, Missouri took this photo of a queen butterfly. This photo is one of many featured in our Photo Galleries. See more great photos now.
Plant of the Month: Black-eyed Susan
If hardy and fuss-free describe your ideal flower, then black-eyed Susans are a must in your garden. These golden beauties come in a wide range of blooms so no matter what flowers you already have growing in your garden, black-eyed Susans are sure to be a great addition.
Common Names: Black-eyed Susan, gloriosa daisy.
Botanical Name: Rudbeckia.
Hardiness: Varies; most are Zones 3 to 9.
Bloom Time: Summer through fall.
Size: 1 to 6 feet high.
Flower: Yellow, orange, and russet petals with black-brown or green centers.
Light Needs: Full sun; will tolerate light shade.
Growing Advice: Sow seeds directly in the soil in early spring or fall by scattering them on loosened soil. Potted ones transplant easily, and need ample water until established.
Prize Picks: Popular perennials include Rudbeckia hirta and Rudbeckia fulgida; Goldsturm is a classic, prized for its beauty and durability. Rudbeckia maxima makes a statement, soaring as high as 6 feet when in full bloom.
Best of Glad You Asked
Every month, we feature some of the best questions that George and Melinda have tackled over the years.
Flowering Hens
I had a hens and chicks plant for several years, and then one year it suddenly flowered. Do they bloom every year? What should I do after the flower fades? –Renea Davis, Rockingham, North Carolina
Melinda: Hens and chicks, like many perennials, take several years to establish before blooming, but it should flower reliably every year now.
To keep the plant looking good, remove the flower as it fades. And don’t be surprised if the rosette that produced the flower dies. You won’t miss it since the many babies—or “chicks”—that form around the flowering plant—the “hen”—quickly fill the void.
Bird Sanctuary
I’d like to transform a 10-acre piece of land on my farm into a bird sanctuary. There’s a creek running through the area to provide water, and I have 20 birdhouses and five feeders to put up. Can you give me some advice on how far apart I should place the houses, and the best type of birdseed to use? –Franklin Zink, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
George: If the birdhouses are built to attract the same species, such as bluebirds, place them about 100 yards apart. If the houses are a mixture of nesting shelters for wrens, tree swallows, woodpeckers, purple martins, wood ducks, screech-owls and the like, you can put them closer together.
The best birdseed depends on the kinds of birds you’d like to attract. Finches prefer niger (thistle) or cracked sunflower seeds served in a tube feeder. Northern cardinals, black-capped chickadees and tufted titmice like black-oil sunflower and safflower seeds on tray feeders. And sparrows, dark-eyed juncos and mourning doves relish wild birdseed mixes, often served on the ground.
Subscribers can access our Glad You Asked database with hundreds of questions and answers from George and Melinda.
Best of Bird Tales
Wait Your Turn
We were enjoying an unusually warm May day by relaxing on our deck, when we spotted some activity around our birdbath.
An American robin was merrily splashing in the water, while an European starling waited its turn on one side of the rim. On the other side was a male orchard oriole, also waiting for a refreshing dip.
After a few minutes, the starling apparently got tired of waiting and disappeared.
When the robin finally finished, the patient oriole dove in for a quick bath before flying to a branch to preen its wet feathers.
In no time, the starling reappeared, this time with a friend, and the two hopped in the bath together—almost filling the entire basin.
We’ve seen plenty of birds use our bath, but never waiting in line for their turn, or bathing together as the starlings did.
With this kind of show in early May, we can hardly wait to see what summer has in store. —Gerry Whyte, Marshall, Arkansas
Backyard Video Contest
You don’t have to have a fancy video camera to enter our Backyard Video Contest. Did you know that many cell phones and digital cameras have the video functionality already built it? Go ahead and give it a try. After all, we have a great prize from Wingscapes. They will send a Bird Cam video kit (pictured here) to the top five winners selected through the Birds & Blooms YouTube page. Learn more about the contest here.
June 4, 2008. See details.
FREE Wallpaper
You asked for more free wallpaper downloads, so we listened. Go to the Wallpaper section of our Web site to download new (and old) photos for your computer wallpaper.
Hummingbird Tour: Southern Arizona
NEW DATE! Aug. 24 – 28, 2008
We had such a great response to our new hummingbird tour that we had to add a second date! Space is still limited, though. Sign up today for the chance to see hummingbirds at their peak migration time.
Our Neck of the Woods
We know we have some amazing reader photographers out there, and we’re asking for your help. We need a few specific photos for upcoming issues of the magazine. If you have a photo of any of the birds or plants listed below, please send it to us in a high resolution format, using our Submit Your Story form.
Bohemian waxwing
Garden phlox
Great horned owl
Flowering kale
Coreopsis
Salvia
Winterberry
Blue grosbeak
Wiegela
Allium
Wood thrush
Summer tanager
Great egret
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