Hi Chickadee, I also live about 20 miles west of Boston (kendra we must be near each other). The bird counts I participate in indicate a relatively large population of bluebirds in this area. In Spring 2006 I started feeding the birds BOSS in one small tube feeder and than built a suet log in December and started making home-made suet mix. A couple months later (Feb 2007), two female Bluebirds showed up on the suet log. At the time, I had no idea what kind of bird it was, but figured it out and was thrilled. The Bluebirds have been coming regularly for three winters now, to eat the suet mixture, but they would disappear by Spring. I tried putting up a nest box, but despite removing several large trees and many invasive plants, the yard was still too overgrown, and the box only attracted House Wrens. I continued to clear out invasive shrubs and vines, but purposely left some dead pine snags in the back yard standing, "for the birds". Much to my shock, Bluebirds decided to nest in woodpecker holes in the pine snags last Spring! I never thought they would nest here. Three successful broods in 2 different snags - because the first snag blew over in a rain storm after the first brood, so they moved to another. A pair of Bluebirds (perhaps the same pair?) is clearly expressing their intent to nest in the snag again this year, but there are both House sparrows and House wrens in the yard. I have already set up a "decoy" nest box with a Van Ert trap and trapped one male House sparrow. There is a pair of HOSPs that are very interested in the box now, and plant to set the trap when they start to build a nest. Checking out "their snag" last month -

I've had a flock of waxwings here for maybe 5 days. Haven't seen them bother any other bird. All they do is eat the holly berries in front of my house and then poop on my car :) Linda...

I don't think it's an issue melrose. I have a fenced yard, and my BB box is inside that yard. I also have 2 little dogs who are often out in the yard. Additionally, between all of the neighbors who border my property, there are 13 more dogs!! The Blues just carry on as if they never notice. :o)

>Not sure if I'm breaking a big rule by going with different brands or styles, or if it even matters as long as they're the same color. I'll turn the question around. Do non-matching appliance bother YOU? This is your kitchen, so the only rules about what you can and can't put in it are going to be set by you, not by the rest of us. You're going to be the one living and working there. I would also add that if you're trying to impress someone with the new kitchen, think about who you're trying to impress. Do you want to impress people who are just going to ooh and ahh about how stuff matches, or do you want to impress people who actually know their stuff? Personally, if I walk into a kitchen with matching appliances, they won't impress me. I may be impressed by other aspects and design choices of the kitchen, but not the appliances. Matching appliances suggests to me that either they didn't bother doing research before they bought, or they just cared more about looks than function. Some say "the matched ones were cheaper" but honestly, I can think of some low-end/midrange mismatched packages that will outperform and outlast some high end matched packages.