Thanks Westelle!
I appreciate your information.
Art

Sparrows like White-throated, White-crowned, and D.E. Junco utilize the seed left behind by annual sages like coccinea and subrotunda. The patches are a primary source of winter seed in this yard and when you add their long blooming season you get almost 12 months of wildlife benefit.

I was wondering why I was unable to collect seed of some of my Eastern Mediterranean seeds. One day, I saw some birds niftily extracting seeds out of the calyxes while I approached the table the stock plants were on.

I love your story about the flock. Did they see your clipper in your hand and have an issue. I like the image. Parrots are smart birds. Don't mess with them. LOL.

Westelle, I assume you are using one of the local names for American Goldfinches. They get into salvias as soon as the seeds begin to ripen, and with those tiny bills are experts in extracting the smallest seed. Thank heavens they were never taught to clean their plates, or there would be no next year for the gardener.

Yes, American Goldfinches. And yes, they did see me with the clippers in my hand next to their Salvia bushes. The cumulative cry came upon the first -- and only -- cut. I now leave the calyxes alone until empty, which means that I miss a second bloom. (I also have Hummers that boss me around. I'm here but to serve.)