Maureen, have you gotten your minis yet?? Please update us. I placed an order for five with BB last weekend and am anxiously awaiting mine. Last year, I bought four from her, but the evil powdery mildew got all but one (I thought I was being so careful... I think I need a fan in my office). I've just sterilized all of my pots (little blue bonsai pots with which I wick-water) in anticipation of their arrival. Yay! Korina, you crack me up -- I was happy to "see" you over on the begonia board today -- I have a begonia at my office with my AVs, and just bought three more (uh oh) gorgeous NOID begonias for home, so I was researching a potting medium for them. Sounds like I can use my sphag-perlite-vermiculite AV mix for the begonias, too... also, off-topic, how do you like the SciFi channel's Doctor Who? (It's my first exposure, though I've heard of the show before...I find him kind of cute!). Anyway, posts from you always make me laugh, so it was neat to "run into" you over on the begonia board. But really, Maureen, this is your thread, so please let us know if you've gotten your new babies yet!!

I second all Jane's thoughts. If you can be prepared, bluebirding is an extremely rewarding experience. Many of us(correction: MOST of us) have had to deal with house sparrows. I can't tell you how many people I've known who, in the first year hosting bluebirds they have success, and for some reason, the house sparrows become a bigger problem in the second year, and people are taken by surprise (or shock) when the house sparrows kill the male in the box, or the female as she incubates eggs, or they smash unattended eggs, or toss the eggs out. In my first experience, a male house sparrow killed 6 newborn hatchlings by pecking them on the head. So if you decide to proceed, just be prepared. Bet's web site, www.sialis.org is a wonderful resource, and we will be here if you need us. Another option is to add hole reducers and host chickadees, if they are in your area. The proper hole reducer will prevent house sparrows from entering. You might want to read up on that at the website linked below. P.S. The little round wooden thing that many bluebird nestboxes come with (some people call them "predator guards") which extends the entrance does not protect anything from predators. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org/

What I do each year for the birds in general is brush my thick-coated Golden Retriever and put it in a suet box. Her fur is soooo soft and water repellent too! I hang the 'hair box' under a tree and it's fun to watch some of the smaller birds (like chickadees) pull the fur from the box and fly away. I have a nest box video camera so I've gotten to see how it is used by some birds. I've had bluebirds use the fur over the pine needles in the nest cup instead of grass. Also a nest of chickadees used it on the top of the nest esp. in the nest cup. The cutest thing I saw was a titmouse who used to take the fur from the side of the nest (their nest fills a bluebird box but there is a nest cup which is usu. in one corner similar to chickadees) and when she left, she'd pull the fur like a blanket over the chick. Linda... Here is a link that might be useful: time to brush the dog

Will let things work themselves out.