Hello Lisa, You will actually find an explanation in the FAQ section to the bulbs forum. By species I mean botanical or wild tulips, which are supposed to perennialize or naturalize in the garden, and multiply rather than go extinct in one or two years. They are very small as compared to other tulips, only really visible in small scale gardens. The hybridized garden tulips, in turn, had the perennial streak bred out of them (I am quoting someone here but I do not know who - sorry) in favor of breeding large size and showy flowers. For most gardeners, those are annuals because no matter how much effort they put into getting them to return, only small percent returns AND blooms, if any. If you do a search, there are quite a few threads on this forum discussing these issues. One person - by the name Shrubs And Bulbs, located in the UK - says s/he has had large perennial tulips in the garden for years, owing to some unique conditions there. Perhaps a good person to ask for detailed advice. As far as I am concerned, I have had viridiflora tulips (Spring Green) returning faithfully for perhaps 10 years now, if not more. But they are a bit smaller in size and not as many as I had originally bought. Any other tulips that returned for me were/are so small that they simply could not be left in spots which I wanted to look presentable. What I do with them is I give them to my 8 year old niece, who has her own "tulip bed" on the side of the garden. We practice planting, weeding, watering, cutting flowers, deadheading etc. there. Those half-sized, leftover tulips of many different varieties are enough for her to play with and study. But, since I have never gone through the whole cycle of producing bulbs for the following year properly (e.g. I did not fertilize or watered after the blooming period, I did not lift the bulbs to replant them later in a freshly amended soil), I want to do so this year, just out of curiosity what my results will be. I will have to lift the bulbs anyway because I planted too many in a single bed I had ready last fall and they look a bit weird. My niece will get the small ones, and I will replant the big ones.

Phoebe: Sorry I didn't have time to post a more complete response last night. I live in a subdivision and on a very small lot so I only have room for one nest box. I put it up when we moved here in 2004 and have had 3 nestings in it each year since then. I have titmice and nuthatches too, as well as song sparrows, Carolina wrens, chickadees and downy woodpeckers (and unfortunately, house sparrows) that all come for the meal worms I put out for the blues. It's no problem except it runs my meal worm bill up. The blues boss all of the above and on very cold or snowy days will stand guard at the feeder as if they fear I will run out. I no longer feed seed eating birds (except in severe weather). When I did I was overrun with cowbirds and starlings that nested in the trees behind the house, ate all the seed and harrassed the blues all summer. So now it's just the birds listed above, plus the gold finches and the hummers. Still, because I provide water, my yard is a virtual beehive at times and I know the blues would prefer more solitude, but it is a small yard and they accept all the bustle. I know of only one other BB house in this development and I see blues nesting in abandoned woodpecker holes in the trees behind the house. I don't know how successful they are with the starlings up there but to me it is an indication that real estate is in short supply in this area. They don't always take many meal worms in the summer but they do appreciate them on days 13 to 18, when they have to hustle to fill 4 or 5 hungry mouths. All I can think of in your case is that there must be something in your area that threatens them (HOSP, cats, nest box location)and they have found a more ideal location that they go to to nest. As I said, they should be able to control the other birds and with your help, the HOSP too. But if the BBs' nest is nearby, they should continue to come to your place for meal worms and water, if you provide it. I too see hawks but the birds have a very good alarm system so they rarely are successful and I have never lost a BB yet. Knock on wood. Best of luck. Dave

Robins are birds that I enjoy viewing, but not as they try to build nests under our porch lights which are on both sides of an area right by our front entrance door. For three days my husband has removed the straw, twigs, etc in order to prevent a completed robin's nest. They put the straw, twigs, etc. up, he takes them down immediately. Today after reading these posts, I sprayed the area with ant and roach spray that I use when the ants try to visit too close to our outside walkway. Two robins just came with straw in their mouths, but they flew away. I hope this is a long-term solution. This is the first time that we have had this problem in the nineteen years that we have lived here. I am already tired of the mess on our porch and the potential health hazard presented if the robins succeed in building a permanent nest. We have plenty of trees that the birds usually choose for their nests and are still quite welcome to do so. However, why our porch this year is a puzzle. Thanks to all who have posted for their solutions. To the haters, because one does not want a bird's nest in an area that he/she frequently uses in his/her home, does not label the person as an animal hater. Why should my quality of life be compromised daily upon trying to enter my home for the sake of a bird's nest? The answer is that it shouldn't and will not. We will win this fight and reclaim our safety and keep our good health.

I started reading this thread just out of curiosity, and to see if I might learn something new. Susan, please don't misunderstand, but your post made bird feeding sound like rocket science! ;-) I kept reading and saw Stargazzer's comments and that is my philosophy exactly: One thing you need to know is we feed birds for our pleasure. I feed the birds for my pleasure. I hang two feeders, one a large heavy wire cylinder type and the other is a Finch feeder. I buy BOSS for the wire type and Niger (thistle) for the other one. The large one hangs from a tree which is mulched all around, so not killing any grass. If you have Goldfinches in your area be sure you get a feeder that is for Goldfinches. It usually has a yellow top, and the package will show the GFs hanging upside down to feed. (The perch is above the hole.) Again, that is for my pleasure, but also keeps other birds from devouring the expensive Niger. House finches, etc. can't do that little acrobatic stunt. I don't put out any bread or scraps of any kind; that would only attract more grackles and other "bottom feeders.") I don't feed in the Winter, because of my wobbly knees and legs, which could cause a fall in the snow and ice. I attract several kinds of birds including those pesky grackles, which I despise the way most folks despise squirrels. This year I am seeing Red Wing Blackbirds, which I haven't seen before. Very amusing though to see a grackle trying to hang on to the side of the big feeder, with wings flapping. Because I'm in a newly developed area, we don't have squirrels because the trees aren't big enough to attract them I guess. Doesn't stop the birds though. Don't take bird feeding too seriously! Just enjoy! Hang some feeders and see what you get. Fine tune as you go, Sue