Hi shillanorth, It is still a mystery as to what triggers migration. Length of days and food availability could both be factors As mankind destroys food sources and habitat, many animals may be making a last ditch effort to stay alive. Have you ever made a late night jaunt to your favorite store only to find it unexpectedly closed? Panic and exploration... The Rufous' have just recently started migrating to the gulf areas and then turning northeast and coming back up. Nobody is sure why. Maybe loss of habitat. I would hate to promise food and not be able to deliver. I am researching flowers and plants that will give nectar all winter. I may have just made a mistake with bluebirds by feeding them lots of mealworms that enabled them to raise two broods this year. Great but, will there be enough food here for all of those bluebirds all winter? Playing Time Lord is a risky undertaking. I've been doing it for 55 years and I have found that it is very easy to mess up. Don't make promises you can't keep. The best thing I have found to do is furnish habitat. I have 10 acres with over 1000 birds of 140 species that frequent here. Habitat, habitat, habitat. I added a pic of a member of the bluebirds' first brood feeding a member of the second brood. I didn't know they did that. Here is a link that might be useful: RNWPHOTO.NET

Were under the gun here in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. The winter storm watches were up yesterday, they have been changed to winter storm warnings this morning. The forecast is calling for snow starting tonight, late, and 1-3" by daybreak Saturday, then accumulating an additional 8-12" Saturday with winds gusting 25-35 MPH. The storm should move out and the snow taper off to snow showers early Sunday morning. Total storm accumulation totals in the DC area should be 10-15+ inches of snow by the time its all said and done. This could be the biggest snow for many in the mid Atlantic in YEARS. This could ALSO mean that we wont have a dream of a white Christmas here, were probably going to actually get it, especially with the temps not predicted to go above 35-37F during the day, and Sunday/Monday temps should stay well below freezing during the daytime hours as well, with lows in the mid teens to low 20s. Ive wrapped both my outdoor potted Trachys in minilights, and wrapped that in plastic, and man is it ever TOASTY WARM in there. Just based on a feel with my hand its roughly somewhere in the 70's-80s+ inside the plastic. I have left the crowns uncovered, and there is a hole in the top of the plastic wrap, but with the warm air coming out thru the holes I highly doubt the crowns will freeze at all.

Thank you for the replies! I might try this: http://www.amazon.com/CONDITIONER-COVER-Season-Black-Premieraccovers/dp/B003CUPH8K/ref=sr_1_11?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1319757746&sr=1-11 It only covers the top and it's mesh. But, before I order I'll measure the unit and see how much it will cost for the local hardware store to create a plywood top as suggested by tigerdune.

That will be a lovely time of year to visit the Carolina Lowcountry. Be SURE to spend some time at one or two of the big plantation gardens as it will be peak flowering season. Magnolia Plantation might be one of the most famous and justifiably so. There's also Cypress Gardens, Boone Hall, Middleton Place, and Drayton Hall. Each are quite different from the other so do some on-line research to see which you think would be of most interest to you. For something different, you might want to visit the Charleston Tea Plantation. Call ahead to see if your visit coincides with one of their tours. You won't be far from the spectacular Angel Oak if you visit the tea farm. That's a sight you'll never forget, believe me. If you happen to drive up north towards Myrtle Beach (not that I am suggesting you visit THERE), you might want to make Brookgreen Gardens a destination. It's a truly remarkable sculpture garden, featuring the works of the great American sculpture Anna Hyatt Huntington (who founded the gardens with her husband). Other artists are represented, as well. If you do end up visiting Brookgreen, travel northward a few miles to Pawley's Island for some good resort-y locations. You'll find everything from high end to quaint B and B. There are a bunch of ACE (Ashley, Combahee, Edisto) River Tours that look pretty interesting. I've not been on one of the commercial tours, having had access to private boats so I can't recommend one in particular. However, the scenery is unreal. With a good map, you can drive yourself all over the ACE River Basin, as well. Travel about an hour south of Charleston to visit Beaufort, a small but lovely town far from the bustle of Charleston. I lived there for many years. Late March will likely coincide with the azalea bloom period. They, along with all of the other spring flowers will be a real feast for the senses. Have fun! I'm jealous.