Joanne - they cannot wrap leaves in plastic - they will rot. You always get some damage on the leaves - they are going to get tossed in the mail. Strong young plant will get over it - and if you have broken leaves - put them down for babies. If you order from any vendor - always put a note - no substitutions - or give a list of plants that are your second choice for substitutions. Bluebird Greenhouses have a very good selection, bunch of rare plants. They recently downsized their operation from greenhouses to home growing- so probably they have less plants- but the quality is better under the lights. These people are very involved in the works of the AVSA - so could be at the Convention or meeting at that time. I personally met owners several times - and they are great people, pleasure to know and deal with. You cannot get from mail as nicely looking plants as you get just unpacked from Optimara truck. These are packed in boxes, transported in the temperature controlled trucks, they do not touch one another - sitting in open sleeves in boxes...But the only thing you can get that way - Optimaras. When you get your parcel - you sometimes wonder -if somebody was playing soccer with these boxes. But you are paying for a healthy starter of the rare variety, not for the fact that every leaf in some miraculous way arrived immaculate. Every vendor has some customers who are not 100% satisfied. You can choose not to deal with them again. But - IMHO - these guys are good. You just need to be more specific regarding substitutes. Irina

Those bluebirds are stressed. They are far north of there wintering grounds many winter here (RI) from the far north then in march migrate north please the reason why that bluebird if holding on to the suet holder is they love suet and peanut butter. Please add some small cuts of suet nearby that way they can feed. If you have 1.5 acres of open space they will nest nearby. Slot box's are ok. But no box is sparrow free. The population of house sparrows in Maine is nothing like southern NE. If you live out in the country far from development dont worry about sparrows. They favor very developed area's and less comon in the country. If you place a bluebird now in the center of your yard and not near a tree they will roost at night in the box. The box should be on 1 inch conduit pipe that will keep down most predators in Maine. Just make sure dont place box on a tree. And center of the yard. Right now there food supplys are running low thats why they are at the feeder they like bittersweet,mulitiflora rose hips,winterberry,holly. To name a few. If you get ice please set out some food that is ice free that way they can feed. Its not worth it for them to migrate now. They are probably the oldest birds in the town and will try and over winter since they know there is a good supply of food nearby. If they fly south and we know they are local Maine birds they could fly into a area well south of them that is much worst and most if not all would perish if the area is ice cover and they have no idea of local food supply's the birds are now dependent on you! The bluebirds are probably very old and some may even have a mild injury thats why they have been left behind. MId february many of my birds start to return and by april 1 start to nest. Its much warmer here so things happen much sooner. If the weather stays snow and ice free in New England we could be looking at a great season for the birds since so many have done well here this winter. Hundeds more will start there trip north in late february. Sadly many are killed in late season snow storms since they have no clue where the food supply's are and the stress and cold kill many. Best of luck! --Ray

Sorry to hear this Tim. If I were you I would remove the HOSP nest and hope the blues return. I doubt you will get the female HOSP now that the male has left. In my experience with TRES I see them highly motivated to run off any bird in paired boxes when they are nest building. Once they are laying/incubating and feeding nestlings they focus much more on that then defending the other box. I have lots of paired boxes and that is what I have found anyway. As far as the Blues letting the HOSP take over the box...well they know they cannot win I suppose, no eggs or nestlings to defend so it is hard to say. I think each bluebird is different too on how hard they defend things. This year I have a hugely territorial male, never had one like this before. He has chased off my chickadees and is trying to chase off all the Tree Swallows in the yard. He is defending four nestboxes, two of these are 65 yards or so from the box they have eggs in. Nothing will be nesting in the box paired 35 feet from the blues nestbox...he won't allow it. The chickadees weren't even house hunting, just trying to eat out of the birdfeeders and he won't allow it. A couple times I have seen a HOSP come to the feeder and I quickly try to get the bb gun but the Male bluebirds chases it away before I can even think about it. He won't stop chasing until it is out of the yard too. I am curious to see if he calms down a bit once the eggs hatch which should be next week. Good luck to you, hope your blues can get down to business now that that HOSP is gone. Donna

Hello Cindy, To sign up please go to this website http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/signup/me -Make up a username (can be cindyholiman2511 if you like) -Put in your email address -First Name -Last Name -Gender -Create a password to access the website -Type the password again in the box next to it to confirm -Enter your birthday for example 03/24/1987 Then the human test, you must type in the words in the box in order, then click "join yuku" button. -I don't remember if you will get an email from yuku sent to your inbox but if you do, please go to your inbox and check and there may be an activation link you need to click to activate your account. It should bring you back to the yuku site. -Go to this site http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/ Then to the bluebird chatter forum area. Then at the top on the right there is a picture of a bluebird that says new topic, click that and give your topic a title and type your message and submit it.