Hi Pepi. As for splitting leaves...it's normal. If your Bird was outdoors in strong winds, leaves split naturally. Other than appearance, you have nothing to worry about. They don't heal, but won't harm your Bird either. 'Should I reduce the number of plants in the pot?' I prefer fuller plants, so tend to keep more than one (of the same type) potted together. It's a matter of opinion, really. After looking at your pictures, your Bird is doing great. A very healthy specimen. IMO, the three look compact. Have you ever repotted? It's hard to say whether or not you should repot. You can always unpot to check roots..If roots are smothering, you should either increase pot size or divide. But I wouldn't repot in a huge container, especially if you'd like to see blooms. If your goal is more foliage, than increase pot size. It's said, Birds that have 7 leaves and slighly rootbound are more likely to flower. More than one author has made this statement. Of course, proper care, such as fertilizer, sun, air, is necessary, too. Sorry, I really didn't answer your question, but again, it's a matter of opinion. One other thing. It's best to fertilize Birds with an All Purpose Fertilize one month, then alternate with a Flowering Fertilize..throughout growing seasons. When my Birds were young, they mainly were fertilized with All Purpose..now that they're larger, they get alternate feedings. 'when I think of it, lol,' Toni

Bird of Paradise flowers best when potbound so don't be in a rush to repot. This is too young still, however. It's sensitive to overwatering and I find it does best in a clay pot. If you do repot into clay it will tell you when it wants out. It will shatter the pot! Keep it very dry whenever temps are low and feed with high potash fertilizer in summer. Full sun and warmth of course. Good luck - Ian.

My phoebes had skipped a year of nesting in their usual place (above the porch light fixture near my office door). My mirror set-up had scared them away. I should have realized that birds do not "like" mirrors -- but I didn't think about it at the time. I did see a bird pecking all day at the mirror, looking behind it, then pecking angrily at it when seeing the "intruder" again. That bird came back the next day to peck at the mirror again. I felt sorry for him wasting his time. But, I didn't think about the phoebes reaction being the same. So, they never nested there last year. I removed the mirror, but they still did not return to nest there this spring. Instead, they nested on another side of the house -- under our raised deck (same as last year). But, after the 1st brood was fledged -- THEY MOVED BACK TO THEIR OLD NESTING SPOT! So, the phoebes apparently got fed up with the disturbances created by our toy poodle (who is let out onto our raised deck several times a day.) The poodle would be walking directly over their nest, and possibly pissing over their nest. The nest building started May 25, 2021 and completed on the 30th or 31st. The mother was sitting on the nest on May 31, and there were 2 eggs in the nest. So, the first egg was likely delivered on May 30. By June 3, there were 5 eggs. All the eggs hatched on June 17 -- so, exactly 2 weeks after the last egg was laid. Interesting that all eggs hatched on the same day, even though each egg was laid a day apart. When I peeked, all the shells were gone. So, even tho I didn't see it, I assume that the parents removed all the egg shells. I also see the parents flying away with baby-bird poop. The poop looks like worms, and the parents carry it away from the nest. They either drop it or eat it (it is undigested food). Today is June 23, and the parents are often very busy bringing food. The bay birds are still too small to see without using a mirror over the nest. Here is a link to a very interesting article from 1937, detailing the observations of nesting habits of phoebes as studied over a 3-yr period. A few interesting details: Female does all the nest building. Incubation starts at varying times - sometimes after 3rd egg, sometimes after 4th, sometimes after 5th. The male apparently does none of the incubation. After fledging, the young birds remain close to the nest, getting farther way as the days pass. Both parents still feed the young after they fledge -- feeding them for periods of up to 18 days. Reliance on the parents gradually decreases. The parents may eventually show harsh treatment of the young to get them to go out on their own. Interesting. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v059n03/p0410-p0417.pdf

We also get a lot of pine warblers this time of year as well. They have yellow on them as well as the palm warblers. Pine warblers seem more abundant and tend to stay in small groups whereas the palm warblers are more solitary. Dirty is so right ... we get so many winter migrants. Winter is the time for warblers for sure. My favorite bird guides are Sibley's. Anything by David Sibley is my vote on the bird guides. He tends to have more views of the birds, which makes identification easier. He also has a Sibley Birds of North America Android app.