That sounds like a good mix. Depending on where you are and what type of tree cover you have, it should attract blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, LBBs (little brown birds = sparrows, finches, et al), nuthatches, woodpeckers, etc. These are mostly woodland birds, so if you're on the prarie, you'll get somewhat different results. The corn may attract doves, pigeons, grackles, etc. I'm not sure what a "hopper" is, but it definately should be higher than 3 ft. Most birds like to feel protected from ground predators and that's really too low for them to feel safe. I would probably put a mix like this on a platform feeder. You can also feed on the ground. I'm in the cities (old established area with large trees) and the birds at my feeder in winter include juncos, chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and of course the ever present English sparrow. During the dead of winter here in MN, no matter how well I keep the feeder stocked, the only real diehards are the English sparrows. Everyone else seems to go elsewhere during the really frigid times. Even the juncos. Come visit us over at the Birding Forum! Here is a link that might be useful: Birdwatching Forum

Gibby, house wrens and house sparrows are entirely different species. House sparrows are a non-native bird and are considered pests by many, thus are not protected by law. House wrens are native birds and it is illegal to tamper with their nests. I do not allow house wrens to nest in my boxes, however, because as you said they are can cause harm to the eggs and hatchlings of other cavity nesters. I remove any sticks I find in my nestboxes and, fortunately, have not come upon a completed house wren nest (or else I'd have to leave it alone). Since I monitor my nestboxes twice each week during nesting season I can usually catch early nesting attempts by wrens and stop them. You can find out more about both species at this link: www.sialis.org Kathy

David, I understand anyone's dilemma of choosing their method for controlling hosp. My decision for how I would deal with hosp was actually made easier by the hosp themselves. I will never forget the image of 6 BB babies, dead, on the ground under their nestbox in my front yard (the event that plunged me into this wonderful world of bluebirding). Add to that the many horror stories and graphic pics that I have since heard/seen while visiting sites such as this, and the observations of their increase in population and moving into what previously was "hosp-free territory". I don't think that my method of disposal will ever be non-traumatic or easy for me. It is extremely difficult...every single time. But, when I find that I am questioning myself as to "is this the right thing to do", I just remember the image of my 6 BB babies. I believe that, unfortunately, controlling hosp is an ugly side to what I feel is my responsibility to these birds. (I, too, liked the idea of donating for a good cause. Could not find any takers in my area.) Good luck in your search for options and in making your decision.

This is a fun post. I will say that in my busy working military life, I could get up, shower, shave underarms (daily), legs (3x weekly)makeup (eye shadow, mascara, foundation, powder, lipstick), hair (washed and blow dried, very short), dressed and out the door in 25 minutes. Now, years later, I use far less products and it seems to take far longer. When I was stationed in Spain I could get waxed, from top to toes, for about $7 so I never had to shave of pluck or anything. That made getting ready for work a real breeze. Now, in a typical morning I use: face wash - I use an Oil of Olay-type face cloth. hand wash - Dial Complete on all the sinks, two baths, mudroom, and kitchen. bar soap - I use a liquid soap; DH still uses the bars. :( shampoo - Daily conditioner - Perhaps once a week. hair serum - Never heard of it. hair mouse - No, but I keep a can of hairspray for the 3-4 times I year I might use it. toothpaste - At least five times a day. floss - Yes, but should more often. mouthwash - Listerine; twice a day for gum protection. shaving gel - Ha! The few times I shave I use shampoo. deodorant - Kept in both bathrooms and the bedroom. Wherever I dress I'm ready! body lotion - Rarely, but more so in winter. foot powder/or lotion - Gold Bond all over. face cream - No; but Mom says I should. foundation - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. blush - I'm taking treatments for Rosacea so I'm good on the natural blush! LOL powder - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. eyeshadow - Very rarely; 2-3 times a year. eyeliner - No; never liked the look. mascara - Can no longer wear. lipstick - Every day. I love lipstick with colour, but not the pale, dead looking non-color most gals are wearing now. I wear earrings daily, too. I love lipstick and earrings. And that's the daily stuff, add to that the occasional: hair coloring - I stopped coloring three months ago. I'm liking the "salt and pepper," heavy on the salt look! tooth whitening strips - No. nail polish/ base coat/top coat - I cut my nails as short as possible and push the cuticles back once a week. When I worked I kept them short and polished with a pale pink color. I did it my self. I do get medium length dark red gel nails for the Christmas season. nail polish remover - No need cuticle cream - No, but about every four months I'll get a manicure that does not include polish or false nails. They just soak, trim, work off the cuticles and do a hot wax dip. hand lotion - I keep bottles on each sink