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Blog ID: 1777 - Attracting Scarlet Tanagers - 2008-06-23
The scarlet tanager has always been one of my favorite songbirds due in large part to its brilliant coloration but also because of its elusive nature and the great distance it migrates to its nesting areas in North America.  As a creature of the mid to upper reaches of our backyard trees the scarlet tanager is more often heard than seen (and what a shame to only hear one)!  In addition, this song bird winters as a tropical resident of Central and South America, a migration route of well over 1500 miles.  It was with this in mind that I developed a plan to lure this fascinating bird to my backyard habitat.

            The first step was to provide the proper food and feeder.  Like Orioles and Bluebirds, the scarlet tanager relishes the taste of mealworms and fruit so I bought a feeder suitable for containing both items.  The feeder is basically a tray (ventilated with tiny holes for airflow) and a clear synthetic top supported by coated wires attached to the tray’s four corners.  The clear top is a must for ease of observation.

            Mealworms are easy to obtain at any local bait shop and can be kept in quantity with no effort.  A large plastic container with a secure lid is perfect; in my case I used a plastic cat litter container that held 27lbs. of litter (probably 2 or 3 gallons liquid measure.  Bigger would even be better, say a 5 gallon container).  I put about 3 inches of cornmeal in the bottom and introduced the mealworms.  On top of the cornmeal I placed 4 thicknesses of damp paper towels to provide moisture.  Every so often I toss in a piece of lettuce to provide additional water for my “stock”.  Believe me, the mealworms will reproduce!

            So far I have been using oranges and tangerines to provide fruit as I have found them to be the most durable.  I am considering the addition of raisins and other dried fruits soon.  So far I have had one scarlet tanager and 3 Orioles visit the feeder not to mention numerous songbirds, starlings and finches.            

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Blog ID: 1776 - A Serenity Garden - 2008-06-23
    I think that everyone would agree that one of the best things about having a garden is that it can (and should) be a place of peace and serenity.  In today's stressful world there is almost nothing better than having a pleasant spot to just relax and enjoy some time to yourself. 
    Our serenity garden is also a backyard habitat for songbirds and other wildlife.  A wooden bluebird house and a hummingbird feeder will attract these favorites  throughout the spring and summer.  We also have a small waterscape with a couple of goldfish to watch is we relax in our hammock chair. 
    As the summer breeze stirs the air and our bamboo wind chimes convert the breeze into natural music our garden truly becomes a place of serenity.

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