Blue Mirror Flowers Blooming Twice in a Season – Nature 24

I just know, plenty flowers blooming more than one in a season. One of them is Delphiniums, also called as Blue Mirror.

The scientific name is a Delphinium elatum, perennial flower.

Image 1- Blue Mirror is blooming.

Blue Mirror always get first blooming in early summer, and blooming again in late summer or early fall.

The color quite beautiful; violet – blue. Flowers could reach 10 inches (25 cm). Look sweet in the garden.

Europe is origin of flowers. They commonly found from southern parts of Europe to Siberia.

Image 2- Some blooming, others not yet

Image 3- Love to see flowers blooming

In addition to Blue Mirror, other flowers which blooming twice a year are many, here some of them:

- Russian Sage, Ice plant
- Salvia, Yarrow
- Beebalm, Echinacea
- Astible, Icelandic poppies and etc

Finally, all flowers genus Delphinium are poisonous both to human and animals. All parts of flowers are poison, include seed. Toxicity may lead to bloat, respiratory failure and even to death.

# Previous postings:

- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 1 – Science 10
- A Memoir of Chasten Buttigieg – Part 2 – Reading 5
- Can a Poet be a Millionaire? - Art 4
- Could Botulinum Toxin be Turned to Beneficial Substance? - Part 2 – Science 10

Rose breasted grosbeak Comes to Our Neighborhood – Nature 23

This migration bird visit our neighborhood rarely, even some neighbors never seen it for long time.

Luckily, we have seen Rose breasted grosbeak in late spring of this year. The birds visited some neighbor’s feeders.

Image 1- Rose breasted grosbeak sitting on the feeder

The birds live and breed during spring and summer seasons in many American states and even in Canada.

In the fall and winter, then, Rose breasted grosbeak return to the south in the countries or regions such as:

- Mexico
- Central America
- South America
- and the Caribbean

Image 2- Bougainvillea flowers, illustration

Image 3- Wild yellow flowers

Image 4- Sweet bird, Rose breasted grosbeak

We believe, Rose breasted grosbeaks migrate from Mexico, then go up to the North America and Canada.

Some of them stop by in our state then breeding. This bird love to breed in areas such as:

- woodlands
- forest edges
- and in the parks

Our neighborhoods have less trees in recent years, hence its might be reason why this bird not seen quite a while.

# Previous postings:

- What is Knockout Animals ? - Part 2- Science 8
- The Disease that Kills 28.4 million People – Part 1- Cardiovascular 2
- Organic Vs Natural Foods – Part 1 – Food 9

What kinds of foods are Consumed by Crowned Night Heron? - Nature 22

You may read previous posting (Part 1), talking about crown heron (yellow crown night heron) at our neighborhood:

- Crowned Heron Crawfishing Near Our Neighborhood – Part 1 – Nature 20

Image 1- A crown heron is walking

We tried to find the answer of previous question: “What kinds of foods are consumed by Yellow Crowned Night Heron?”

Online searching found that there are 3 (three) categories (types) of this bird menus, they are:

- fish
- crustaceans
- other small critters.

Image 2- Beautiful flowers

The crowned night herons consume any kind of little fish which they are able to catch in the shallow waters.

Image 3- Little dog playing in the yard

Crawfish and crabs are the main crustaceans eaten by night herons. Crawfish looks like little crab.

Image 4- Crown night heron on the grass

These crustaceans are found easily in the areas such as:

- ditches
- canals
- swamps
- wetlands
- rivers
- lakes

In respect to other small critters, crowned night heron's diets may include frogs, rodents, mollusks (clams and mussels), insects and even snakes.

# Previous postings:

- Will Wild Horses Able to Ride Out Hurricane? - Part 2 – Nature 12
- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 1 - Healthy Life 15
- The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 2- Art 3
- New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 2 - Healthy Life 15

Colorful Flowers in the Spring – Nature 21

We found many types and colors of flower when walking or jogging in our neighborhood area.

I believe the following flowers are daylily (corrected by Yvonne that are Iris instead of daylily).

Fig 01- Purple flower

By Googling, it said there are plenty of day-lily flowers. About six colors are very common:

- purple
- white
- pink
- red
- orange
- yellow

Fig 02- Is it red or pink color?

Fig 03- Several flower with light purple color

Fig 04- Yellow color

Fig 05- Dark purple

Since our state, Louisiana is a southern state, the blooming of day-lily flowers could be from March to April or early May.

In the Northern states, blooming time from May to June. Blooming just in short period, about 1 to 5 weeks.

Then, we might wonder: how long does day-lily lifespan?

Depend on varieties. Rae Oliver (2022) In Posting “Growing Daylilies: When, Where & How To Plant Daylily Flowers,” said that Daylilies could reach several years.

However, the flowers blooming less after reaching six years.

# Previous postings:

- Measles Outbreak in a Recent year – Part 1 – Healthy Life 11
- Do You Know that Some Musical Instruments Made from Bamboo? - Art 2
- Measles Outbreak in a Recent year – Part 2 – Healthy Life 11
- Have You Tasted Matcha Latte with Soy Milk or Almond Milk? - Food 6

Crowned Heron Crawfishing Near Our Neighborhood – Part 1 – Nature 20

We see this critter at our neighborhood every spring. We don’t know where she is living, exactly.

She loves to play on the sides or shallow parts of creek and streams.

Fig 01- Crowned Heron Crawfishing

Some neighbors said that this is not Crowned Heron, but Yellow Crowned Night Heron.

In the photos, you might see light yellow crowned. I think Yellow Crowned Night Heron is more suitable.

Night Heron refer to their feeding activity at night. It might be the reason why we always see them at our neighborhood in the afternoon.

They rest at day light.

Fig 02- Cherry tomato plants, illustration

Fig 03- Just for illustration

Fig 04- The bird found something to eat

Based on status published by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2020) that:

- Yellow Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is not included as endangered species in the USA.

However, their species is decreasing day by day, and even list as endangered and protected species in the state such as Pennsylvania.

Two main causes decreasing of population:

- their nests are disturbed by human
- habitat lost in this case is wetlands.

What kinds of foods are consumed by Yellow Crowned Night Heron?

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- Do You Know about Golden Kiwis Fruit? - Food 3
- Grass in Our Yard during Hot Summer

Attractive Yellow Flowers at the Corner – Part 2 – Nature 19

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Attractive Yellow Flowers at the Corner – Part 1 – Nature 19

Fig 01- The tree is ready to grow either in the ground or bigger pot.

This plant is native of:

- Australia
- Papua New Guinea
- and Indonesia

Originally, the tree can reach the height higher than my one story of house height, but the trees from nurseries are cultivated to be shorter and dwarf.

So, we can plant them in a pot.

Fig 02- Xanthostemon vertilicus, the flower is white

(credit to Australian National Botanic Gardens)

This tree has other beautiful name, “Golden Penda”, and some of local people call it “Bunga Jambu Kuning” or “Junjum”.

Fig 03- Xanthostemon auranticus, yellow threats with reddish petals

(credit to Flower Database)

Even the name spell in different words, but the meaning still refers to its botanical name (from Greek): Xanthostemon chrysanthus. 

Fig 04- Leaves and a fruit.

The meaning of name is following:

- Xantho means yellow
- stemon means stamen or treats;
- chryso mean gold;
- anthos mean flower

I am thinking to plant this tree in my back yard.

Perhaps (expected), many animals or insects will enjoy to come over. They are such as:

- birds
- bees, bugs and butterflies

# Previous postings:

- Snow Storm in Our City Baton Rouge – Nature 2
- Snowy Owl Re-Appearing after Hiding for 130 years – Nature 3
- Paris in the Eyes of Vincent Van Gogh - Art 1

Attractive Yellow Flowers at the Corner – Part 1 – Nature 19

The petals are always attractive, hence It does not matter about their colors. Petals always give a specific vibrant for all of pair of eyes.

This kind of flowers, the stamens are more attractive than the petals.

Fig 01- Xanthostemon chrysanthus with yellow flowers.

The stamens from the base of petals have long extended filaments or threat and have beautiful bright anthers that boldly seduce the:

- birds
- bees
- bugs
- and butterflies.

When looking at the flowers, their appearances remind us to the Myrtle such as Bottle-brush. 

Fig 02- Green at the corner

Fig 03- A little corner with several flowers

Fig 04- Xanthostemon youngii, species with red flowers (credit to Flickr)

Exactly, this species is belong to Myrtle Family (Myrtaceae). This family consists of:

- 150 genus
- 3300 species

There are some other species without yellow colors, quite interesting for me.

They are such as:

- Xanthostemon youngii, the flowers is red.
- Xanthostemon auranticus, yellow threats with reddish petals
- Xanthostemon vertilicus, the flower is white.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- Reducing Number of Amazon River Pink Dolphin? - Part 1 – Nature 17
- The Early Person who Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Diseases - Part 2 – Alzheimer's 2
- Corned Beef Harsh - The Popular Breakfast in Louisiana – Part 1 – Food 11