Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Birds & Blooms Community lately. I am amazed by the number of people out there who are willing to share their experiences and knowledge of birding and gardening.

We’ve added two new forums—“What is This Bird?” and “What is This Flower?” There you can post photos of the birds and flowers you can’t identify. One of our members will be happy to lend a hand.

Visit the forums to post your own photos or to offer up your own expertise!

Kirsten Sweet
Birds & Blooms

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• READ ON TO DISCOVER...
• Follow Us On Twitter
• Bird of the Month
• Best of Glad You Asked
• Project of the Month
• FREE Wallpaper
• Talk to Us!

Follow Us On Twitter

Do you twitter? If not, get started today and follow us for exciting Birds & Blooms updates.

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Bird of the Month: White-breasted Nuthatch

Have you seen the white-breasted nuthatch crawling down a tree? There's a good reason for this.

Learn how to attract the white-breasted nuthatch to your yard, and listen to its song.

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Best of Glad You Asked

Out of the Zone
I harvested a few seedpods from a Japanese iris wile visiting New York. So far, the resulting plants are doing well at my Florida home, but will they continue to grow in this climate?
—Vito Derasmo, Sebastian, Florida

Melinda: Japanese iris can grow as far south as Zones 9 and possibly 10. Many gardeners in mild climates will grow the iris in pots so they an keep them out of the wet boggy soils in winter.

However, since your plant came from a northern garden, it may be a cultivar more suited for the north, or it could have difficulty adjusting to your warmer climate. This is just another gardening situation where you will have to wait and see what happens.

And be patient. It can take 4 to 5 years for it iris to flower when grown from a seedpod. To increase your chance of success, keep plants somewhat dry during the dormant period.

How Low Can They Go?
When birds migrate, do they fly at a certain altitude?
—John Hauser, Bloomington, Minnesota

George: There is no one altitude that birds use to migrate. Some may soar as high as 20,000 feet above sea level, or they may fly just a couple of hundred feet up. The altitude is determined by many varying factors, such as the bird species, time of day, weather and wind conditions.

But generally, larger birds, such as sandhill cranes, swans and geese, migrate at higher altitudes. Insect-eating birds on the other hand, such as bluebirds, warblers and vireos, may fly just above the treetops, especially during daylight.

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Project of the Month

This butterfly house is a real conversation piece for your garden. In fact, your friends will be full of questions about this whimsical butterfly house and how to make their own. Get started today.

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FREE Wallpaper

Download great wallpaper for your computer, like this bird on a seed head by Dick Cronberg.

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Talk to Us!

Do you know a gardener who goes an extra step in gardening for wildlife or helps beautify a community? We're looking for Green Thumbs who have done positive things for their neighborhoods or communities. Nominate a friend today or send us your own entry! Please include a photo.

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