Beginning this month, the CCEA is pleased to feature our very own Chevy Chase Estates Garden Club bird and flower of the month. This series not only highlights the plants and animals found throughout our canyon, the blurbs are written and illustrated by local Garden Club members. Many thanks to the Chevy Chase Garden Club. Please feel free to email them. gardenclub@chevychaseestates.us.

Bird of the Month : THE ACORN WOODPECKER

These noisy, comic-faced woodpeckers reside communally in our oak tree forests. They are very social birds and remain in large family units up to a dozen related birds. Only a pair or two may actually breed; the others help them raise their young. They store up huge amounts of acorns, (Up to 20,000) in decaying trees for the winter when food is scarce.  The Acorn Woodpeckers have a solid black back, white belly, red cap and yellow and white face. They are around 9” in length. By Carroll Ropp

Flower of the Month: CHAPARRAL HONEYSUCKLE

California honeysuckles are not aggressive vines. They tend to be more like open shrubs that can’t quite stand up on their own. This tough drought tolerant honeysuckle grows in the hot dry chaparral of the interior coastal ranges, usually on north facing slopes. Look for connected round top leaves and yellow flowers. The pink version is well-liked by hummingbirds and its red berries are eaten by all birds. By Candyce Binzley