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Dear $$firstname$$,
Time is almost up to get your entries in for our Backyard Video Contest. You have until June 30 to send us your best backyard videos of birds, squirrels, insects, great garden moments and more. We’ll be posting the best entries on July 15, so keep your eye out on our YouTube page. We’ll need your vote!
In this month’s newsletter, we’re asking for your help in our Name That Newsletter survey . After a few years of having a FREE Birds & Bloom Newsletter, we’re finally getting around to giving it a name! Actually, we want you to give it a name, so please take a minute to give us your feedback.
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Bird of the Month: Blue Jay
Photo: Roland Jordahl.
Some people call them pests while others adore them. Learn more about blue jays, and listen to their song.
Photo of the Month
What is this gorgeous shorebird? Find out and see who took it in our Photo Galleries.
Plant of the Month: Zinnia
Zinnias are a great and inexpensive nectar source for butterflies. Learn why it’s a great addition to your yard in this Small-Space Butterfly Gardens article. And get more top picks for your summer containers.
Best of Glad You Asked
Every month, we feature some of the best questions that George and Melinda have tackled over the years.
Plants to Keep Bugs Away
What kind of flowers should I plant near my vegetables to deter unwanted insects? —Florence Uhler, Marietta, Georgia
Melinda: Nasturtiums and marigolds are traditional choices for insect control. Some gardeners believe these plants trap insects before they enter the garden. Others doubt their value, believing they actually attract insects.
I’ve seen research supporting the claim that marigolds help control some pests, such has nematodes—a microscopic worm-like parasite. Otherwise, I’m not aware of studies that advocate planting marigolds for broad insect control.
There are three more reliable ways to protect your garden from insects. Select hybrid vegetables that are pest resistant. Stay on top of weeding duties (these unwanted plants often attract insects). And remove pests as soon as you see them.
Bird Sanctuary
When I replaced my bird feeder with a new one, I moved the old feeder about 6 feet. Since I made the change, I haven’t seen birds at either feeder. What could have happened? —Lois Harvey, Sedalia, Missouri
George: It’s possible the new feeder is scaring the birds, or that the food you’re offering is wet, moldy or undesirable for some reason.
Birds do have preferences about food and the kinds of feeders they use. American goldfinches, for example, prefer sunflower seeds, thistle and safflower seeds served in tube feeders with or without perches.
Northern cardinals, on the other hand, will not use a tube feeder unless it has a tray attached to the bottom so they can stand on a flat surface. Natural cover is another consideration. If you’re feeders are now out in the open without natural cover around them, the birds fear they’ll have no place to escape if threatened.
Subscribers can access our Glad You Asked database with hundreds of questions and answers from George and Melinda.
Best of Bird Tales
Dizzy Pigeons
When my husband and I eat at our dining room table, we enjoy a lovely view of our neighbor’s tubular bird feeder. It’s built for smaller birds like finches, but the local pigeons frequently try their best to get food from it, too.
Often, an oversized bird will sit on a small perch, flapping its wings as it tries to keep its balance. This in turn makes the feeder go round and round, until the bird finally flies off when it gets dizzy.
The feeder unwinds until the next pigeon comes along and tries the same stunt. What fun to watch! –Lucia Johnson, Massena, New York
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.
FREE Wallpaper
Download amazing wallpaper for your computer.
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
Don’t forget to take our current survey, Name That Newsletter. We put our heads together to come up with a great list of names, and now we need you to take it from here.
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