Morro Bay Birdhouse

10/14/2026

The first of our 2026 batch of Anise Swallowtail Butterflies emerged from its chrysalis yesterday! Back on September 11th, hawk-eyed Mini found 14 tiny swallowtail caterpillars on our fennel patch, which we grow specifically for swallowtails. Always vigilant in this regard, she noticed the number was dwindling rapidly, presumably from predation. So we moved them to potted fennel plants in our butterfly screen room, which is also specifically for this purpose. We were amazed how quickly the caterpillars grew and fattened up. Their color patterns are beautiful beyond words. Our remaining butterfly babies should emerge soon, so butterfly mom Mini will no doubt be checking on them several times a day - to release them into the wild as soon as they can fly.

09/09/2026

We appear to have a bumper crop of Anise Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars this year. Mini counted 14 in the small patch of fennel we planted two years ago specifically for Swallowtail Butterflies.

08/24/2026

Our plan to grow wild grapes at Morro Bay Birdhouse has come to fruition. Initially we planted table grapes in hopes of eating them ourselves. But in mid-summer the leaves became moldy due to the persistent marine overcast we have in summer. So we removed the cultivars and replaced them with wild California grape, which we started from wild clippings. The wild grapes are edible, but too small to bother with. We’ll grow them for the birds - hopefully Cedar Waxwings in winter - and otherwise enjoy the lush foliage. The leaves turn a lovely burgundy color in late summer. Our native California Fuchsia is also looking nice this summer after an aggressive trimming.

06/26/2026

Morro Bay Birdhouse is temporarily closed.

05/10/2026

The towering Morro Rock is a volcanic plug at the entrance of the Morro Bay harbor. A causeway connects it with the shore, making it a tied island. ⛰️☁️

05/01/2026