Dr. Lisa R Brooks

That goldfinch working over a spent coneflower head isn't settling for scraps. It's found one of the more reliable food sources standing in your entire yard through the leanest stretch of the year.

Goldfinches have bills shaped almost like small forceps, purpose built for prying seeds out of a tightly packed seed head, which makes coneflower and black-eyed Susan close to ideal targets once the petals have dropped and the center cone dries out. That timing lines up with something else specific to this species. Unlike most songbirds, goldfinches hold onto their duller, non-breeding plumage well into spring rather than molting into bright color early, which means they're relying on foraging through the coldest months without the seasonal camouflage advantage other birds get. A yard full of standing seed heads becomes a dependable, low effort food source exactly when insects and fresh vegetation have mostly disappeared and options are genuinely limited.

The structure of these particular seed heads is part of what makes them so functional through winter specifically. Coneflower's stiff, spiky center cone holds together through repeated freezing, thawing, and snow cover without collapsing the way softer plant material would, which is why you'll often see a finch clinging sideways to a stem in the dead of winter, still working through individual seeds one at a time. Black-eyed Susan's cone center behaves similarly, staying upright and accessible long after the surrounding petals have gone brown and curled.

There's a second layer of value happening below what's visible in this photo. Coneflower and black-eyed Susan both have hollow or pithy stems, and many native bee species use exactly that kind of standing stem to overwinter, tucked inside until temperatures warm enough in spring for them to safely emerge. Cutting everything back in October doesn't just remove a food source for birds like this goldfinch, it can eliminate the shelter an entire generation of pollinators was counting on to survive the season.

None of this requires letting your whole yard go wild through winter. It just means the impulse to tidy everything up in October is worth resisting for these two plants specifically. Leave them standing until late winter or early spring, once new growth is about to emerge and the birds and insects relying on them have had their season, then cut back for the fresh start ahead. 🐦

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UPDATE: ALL SPOTS FILLED!

NEED TO SPAY/NEUTER YOUR CAT? The ARL has openings for spay/neuter surgeries for owned cats NEXT WEEK! Spots are limited, so schedule your cat’s appointment today!

Details:
- Appointment required, first-come, first-served
- Cost: $80/male cat, $100/female cat
- Openings: Aug. 25-26
- Location: ARL Main, 5452 NE 22nd St., DSM
- Drop off: 7:30-8 a.m.
- Same-day pickup: 4-6 p.m.
- Go to https://ow.ly/Lu4r50QZ869 to schedule

Please spread the word!

(Please note that these appointments are NOT for outdoor cats. If you need spay/neuter appointments for outdoor cats, please email [email protected] for more information about TNR, or trap-neuter-return.)

Iowa's road signs have officially started roasting people, and honestly, it's about time somebody did.

Picture it. A freshly paved Iowa highway cutting through endless cornfields, smoother than it's been in years, and the state's way of celebrating isn't a ribbon cutting—it's a warning. The first sign proudly announces, "NEW ROAD SURFACE." Nice. Simple. Everyone's smiling... for about five seconds.

Then comes the reality check.

"SPEED LIMIT IS STILL 45 MPH."

Because the Iowa DOT already knows exactly what happens when folks see brand-new pavement. Someone in a pickup is already thinking 65 feels about right.

And then the punchline.

"OR WE'LL PUT THE POTHOLES BACK!"

Now that's an Iowa threat.

No expensive ticket. No dramatic lecture. Just the promise of bringing back the crater-sized potholes everyone spent months dodging after winter. Every Iowan knows those potholes have bent rims, spilled coffee, and tested suspensions across the state.

It's peak Iowa humor—dry, clever, and painfully relatable. The message is simple: enjoy the smooth road, wave at the cornfields, and keep it at 45... unless you really miss slamming into potholes every morning. 🌽🚜😂