Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps

Northern Cardinals are one of the most recognized birds throughout their range and a favourite backyard visitor of many. Cardinals are often the bird homeowners most wish to attract when placing a feeder in their yard.

This winter I regularly have a dozen cardinals visiting my feeders at the same time providing an incredible sight. To entice cardinals to my yard I have implemented a few simple measures to make my landscape more enticing. Attracting cardinals is quite simple if you follow these four easy steps.

33113972041 8cd6ceba9d o - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Cedars provide shelter from the elements and predators making them a perfect tree for attracting cardinals.**

Provide Adequate Habitat

Northern Cardinals prefer a habitat consisting of dense thickets that provide cover. If your yard is void of this type of vegetation, add a few trees and shrubs. I know what you are thinking, “Trees take years to grow, and I won’t see cardinals for decades.” By carefully choosing which species to plant the benefits will be reaped much sooner. Fortunately, cardinals tend to hide low to the ground, which means large mature trees are not required to attract cardinals.

Two of my favourite native species which provide great cover for cardinals are Red Osier Dogwood and Eastern White Cedar. Both are readily available at area nurseries, are inexpensive to purchase, and as is the case with all plants native to our area are extremely easy to grow even if you lack a green thumb.

IMG 2683 Edit Edit - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Female Northern Cardinal perched in the safety of a dense thicket.**

Fruit from the Red Osier Dogwood is consumed by over 100 bird species in Ontario making it my favourite native shrub. Since introducing this species to my landscape several years ago, I have seen an increase in the variety of birds visiting my yard and an increase in the number of cardinals. This plant is incredibly hardy and does best in full sun to part shade. An incredibly versatile shrub, it can tolerate dry conditions but will also grow in standing water.

Red Osier Dogwoods are fast growing reaching a maximum height and spread of 12 feet in only a few years. Dogwoods are easily pruned if a smaller shrub is more suited to your yard. Comprised of multiple stems, Red Osier Dogwoods provide excellent shelter to a multitude of songbirds including the cardinal. The deep red branches add a beautiful element of colour to any landscape, especially during the winter months when colour is absent from most yards.

16155723715 c6347c7bab o - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Female Northern Cardinal**

When searching for a cedar tree, make sure you purchase an Eastern White Cedar. Emerald Cedars are often sold in mass quantities at every garden centre, home improvement store, and just about any other retailer selling live plants come spring. The reason to avoid these trees is their foliage is too dense denying birds access to the inner branches, thus providing no shelter at all. The Eastern White Cedar’s drooping branches and dark green foliage provide protection from the elements and predators not to mention the perfect location to construct a nest.

Tolerant of some shade, the Eastern White Cedar can reach a height of 50 feet and prefers moist soil. These trees can be purchased at area garden centres as 3 to 4-foot specimens, sufficient size to attract cardinals. Like the Red Osier Dogwood, Eastern White Cedars can be topped and pruned to contain their size and make beautifally dense hedges the perfect cover for birds.

16537658466 b258d96452 o - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Regardless of time of year, a source of fresh water will attract more cardinals.**

Add A Water Source

Fresh water is an excellent way to attract more birds and is an even bigger draw than food as not every yard has a water source. Water can be offered in various ways, from a simple dish to an elaborate water feature. Bird baths are one of the most common ways to provide water as birds can both drink and bathe. For the chilly winter months consider a heated bird bath to prevent the water from freezing.

Despite frigid temperatures across our region during winter months, birds still need to bathe as feather maintenance is vital to their survival. A heated bird bath will certainly attract more cardinals to your yard as this can be the unique feature that makes your yard more attractive than your neighbour’s.

15576809603 0ab9a33273 o - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **After clearing the seed ports of my feeders, cardinals will readily cleanup spilled seed from the ground.**

Offer Their Two Favourite Seeds

Cardinals will consume a wide variety of seeds, but they do have two favourties, sunflower, and safflower. Black oil sunflower seed is the most economical seed on the market and is consumed by all songbirds that frequent our area. If I could only have one type of seed to offer in my feeders, black oil sunflower would be my choice.

IMG 6922 2 - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Female Northern Cardinal and male House Finch feeding on black oil sunflower seeds in my Squirrel Buster Classic feeder.**

If cleaning up shells from beneath your feeder is something you wish to avoid, hulled sunflower seed is the perfect choice. Hulled sunflower is simply black oil sunflower seed out of the shell. This is more of a premium seed and costs a bit more money due to processing costs, but will keep your lawn or patio much cleaner. Keep in mind that when buying a bag of hulled sunflower seed, you are only paying for seed and not the shells. A good portion of a 10-pound bag of black oil sunflower seeds is shell weight, so once this is factored in paying extra for hulled sunflower is easier to swallow, for you and the birds.

Safflower seed is another great option for attracting cardinals. This white seed is a favourite of cardinals and is also consumed by Mourning Doves, House Finches, and Black-capped Chickadees. Another benefit of safflower seed is that it is less desirable to squirrels and blackbirds. If squirrels, Common Grackles, and European Starlings are a problem in your yard, try switching to safflower seed.

IMG 2575 Edit Edit 2 - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Northern Cardinals prefer to feed on the ground. During the winter months be sure to keep the snow beneath your feeders packed down to provide these birds an added place to feed.**

Choose The Right Feeder

Northern Cardinals are ground-feeding birds by nature, so this is important to keep in mind when choosing a feeder. Cardinals prefer feeders with large perching areas.

8883649210 494e34c56a o Edit - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Tray-style feeders are perfect for attracting Northern Cardinals.**

A hanging tray feeder offers plenty of room for cardinals to land and is a great option. These feeders feature a mesh bottom made of metal which allows rain and snow to drain keeping the seed fresh longer. These can be hung from any pole system or shepherd’s hook and using a squirrel baffle will keep the squirrels from getting to the seed.

Something to keep in mind when choosing a feeder is cardinals prefer to face forward when they feed. This is another reason tray feeders work so well. If however, a tray feeder is not what you are after then other great options exist.

A hopper feeder that can be hung or pole-mounted will entice cardinals to feed. These feeders typically have a ledge or perch where cardinals can sit and feed or a large tray incorporated on the bottom, which makes them a great choice for cardinals.

8830816424 8f1c5b4f78 o Edit - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **This tube feeder with a large perch ring filled with black oil sunflower seed is a favourite combination of the cardinals that visit my yard.**

Tube feeders are also great for attracting Northern Cardinals. Remember, cardinals like to face forward to feed so make sure the tube feeder you choose has large perches to accommodate this. Two excellent choices are Brome’s Squirrel Buster Plus and Squirrel Buster Classic. Both of these feeders are squirrel proof with the seed ports closing off under the weight of a squirrel.

Choose the feeder style that is best suited for your yard and fill it with either sunflower, safflower or a mix of both. Remember to keep your feeder clean and the seed ports free of snow and ice during the winter months.

IMG 2857 Edit Edit - Northern Cardinals: How To Attract Them In 4 Easy Steps — **Attracting cardinals to any yard is simple by following the above-mentioned four easy steps.**

At dawn, cardinals are often the first bird to arrive at a backyard feeder and the last to leave at dusk. Sometimes they can only be identified by their silhouettes and soft calls during these low-light conditions. Attracting cardinals to your yard is quite easy if you follow these four steps. If you lack cardinals in your yard, recognize which of these elements is missing and make a point of implementing them. By providing these necessities, I’m sure you will see an increase in the number of Northern Cardinals frequenting your yard.

Good birding,
Paul

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Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest

For as long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed building birdhouses. It’s hard to put into words the satisfaction I get from watching birds raise a brood in a house I built with my own hands. Over the years I’ve built many birdhouses in all shapes and sizes providing a place for a variety of species to nest.

IMG 6030 Edit 3 - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **Providing a safe, sheltered place for hummingbirds to nest is easy with this small platform.**

Like birding, my dad introduced me to woodworking and I built my first birdhouse with him. In fact, my introduction to woodworking with him started when I was just two years old when I climbed a ladder all by myself onto the shed roof my dad was building at our new house. If not for my grandma yelling “Paul is on the roof with Russ” alerting my parents of my ascent who knows what would have happened. I would love to be able to remember the look on my dad’s face when he turned around and saw me sitting behind him. With supervision like this, it’s a wonder I saw three (I’m kidding Dad you know I love you).

44301291684 6e26f87081 o - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **With 1-2 broods per year, watching hummingbirds nest will be both entertaining and educational.**

Following plans I’ve found in books or online to build birdhouses, I’ve had great success throughout my life providing nesting sites for birds. Swallows, wrens, robins, and doves are a few of the species that have nested in houses or platforms I’ve made. Recently I made a bunch of birdhouses and sold them through Facebook. The response I received was tremendous and people from all over reached out inquiring about the houses. Even followers from out of town were interested. I was happy to ship houses to them but the cost to do so was pretty steep. I wanted to offer houses for sale and be able to ship them without having to charge an arm and a leg to cover the cost of postage. As a result, I am now building and selling hummingbird nest platforms.

IMG 6028 Edit - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **The shallow depression (with 1/8″ drain hole) and posts provide a place for hummingbirds to anchor their nest.**

Hummingbirds are an exciting bird to watch at backyard feeders, so why not go the extra mile by providing a place for them to nest? Hummingbirds seek out sheltered locations to nest protected from wind, rain, and sun. My pine platforms can be mounted under the eaves of a house, shed, gazebo, or under a covered porch. The platform has a recessed bottom with two supports on either side allowing the hummingbird to anchor the nest in place. Once a hummingbird has found the perfect place for nest building, she returns to the same location year after year. Hummingbirds have 1-2 broods per year with a nesting period of 18-22 days. Adding a platform in a visible location will serve hours of enjoyment all summer long.

48893978883 e202eaf64d o - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **Hummingbirds are easily attracted to backyard feeders. Why not offer them a safe, sheltered place to nest?**

If you want to offer a place for hummingbirds to nest, are looking for a birdhouse you may not already have or are looking for a unique gift idea for a bird lover, these hummingbird nestings platforms are a great idea. Measuring 6.5″ H x 4.5″ W x 4.5″ D I can ship these platforms for a reasonable price. With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day fast approaching let your fingers do the shopping. I’m selling these platforms for $35 each which includes shipping anywhere in Canada or the United States.

IMG 6032 Edit 2 - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **Side view of my hummingbird nest platform.**

To purchase, simply click the add to cart button at the bottom of the page and checkout securely with PayPay. If you prefer to pay via e-transfer contact me for more details. I’m also offering porch pick up in London, Ontario at a discounted price less the shipping. Again contact me for details on porch pick up.

47981226271 d7494d3c58 o - Providing A Place For Hummingbirds To Nest — **Hummingbirds are exciting visitors to any yard and offer hours of enjoyment for backyard birders.**

Hummingbirds will be returning very soon and providing food in the form of a hummingbird feeder is a great way to attract them to your yard. Why not add a safe, sheltered place for them to nest with a hummingbird nest platform?

Good birding,
Paul

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The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard

Walk into any store that sells hummingbird feeders and the selection can be overwhelming. Choosing a feeder to attract these little beauties to your yard doesn’t have to be difficult and in this post, I’m going to share my favourite.

Whenever I’m asked what hummingbird feeder I recommend the Perky-Pet 203CPBN Pinch Waist Glass Hummingbird Feeder is my answer every time. Why do I like this feeder so much? There are many reasons this feeder gets my vote but the first is it simply works. My parents had this feeder in their backyard when I was growing up and I use this feeder in my own yard. We also use this feeder at the family cottage. I have been watching hummingbirds use this feeder my entire life and the birds love it.

IMG 9818 - The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard — **This hummingbird was having a difficult time deciding between the cardinal flowers and the fresh nectar in my feeder.**

Another reason I love this feeder so much is the price. Who doesn’t love a product that works and doesn’t break the bank? Not only is this the best hummingbird feeder out there it’s one of the least expensive. Just because this feeder doesn’t cost much doesn’t mean it isn’t high quality. This feeder is incredibly durable.

The glass reservoir is easy to clean with an appropriately sized bottle brush and the wide mouth makes it easy to fill. I also really like the size of the reservoir as it holds just the right amount of nectar. This generally allows the birds to consume all the nectar before it spoils so none is wasted and I’m continually putting out fresh food thus attracting more birds.

IMG 9554 - The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard — **Ruby-throated Hummingbird approaching the feeder.**

The feeding ports feature bee guards to protect the nectar from flying insects while the top of the feeder incorporates a built-in ant-moat to prevent these crawling pests from accessing the food.

A free pack of instant nectar comes with this feeder but I discard this as I do not know what this nectar contains including potentially harmful red dye. I make my own hummingbird food by adding 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of boiling water and giving it a quick stir. Once the liquid has cooled the feeder can be filled. Boiling the water not only helps dissolve the sugar it also helps remove chlorine and other impurities from our tap water.

IMG 2585 2 - The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard — **A cedar hedge not only provides a windbreak but also a place for this hummingbird to perch before and after visiting the feeder.**

Feeder placement is essential when trying to attract hummingbirds. I like to position mine out of the wind and close to somewhere the birds will perch. I find that hummingbirds like to perch before and after visiting a feeder. This could be a small tree, the top of a shepherd’s hook, or even a clothesline. At the cottage, we often get a chuckle watching the hummingbirds sitting on the clothesline trying to feed from the pink plastic clothespins.

Having flowers in your garden will also help attract more hummingbirds to your yard. I am a huge fan of native flowers and have found the red blooms of the cardinal flower work particularly well. Butterfly weed not only will attract Monarch Butterflies but the hummingbirds seem to like it too.

IMG 9566 Edit - The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard — **Butterfly weed will not only attract Monarch Butterflies to your backyard but in my experience, the hummingbirds love it too.**

Fresh food is imperative to attracting hummingbirds to your feeder. During hot weather, you are going to want to change the nectar and clean the feeder every two days. Making a larger batch of food can be convenient as it will keep in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.

Having hummingbirds visit your backyard is incredibly enjoyable. These birds require food almost constantly and once they find your feeder will visit from sunrise to sunset. A backyard feeder is one of the best places to see and photograph hummingbirds as you know exactly where the birds will be.

46912621885 a8a5837450 o - The Best Hummingbird Feeder For Your Backyard — **Ruby-throated Hummingbird in flight as it nears the Perky-Pet feeder.**

If you are having trouble choosing the best hummingbird feeder for your yard, I highly recommend giving the Perky-Pet 203CPBN Pinch Waist Glass Hummingbird Feeder a try. This inexpensive, lightweight, easy to clean, durable feeder simply works, and with proper placement and care will attract hummingbirds to your yard. Mix up a batch of fresh nectar, place your favourite easy chair in close view, and get ready to enjoy beautiful hummingbirds in your backyard.

Good birding,
Paul

* Please note this post contains an Amazon affiliate link. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*

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The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds

Feeding your backyard birds year-round can be incredibly rewarding. Observing a male cardinal pass a seed to a female during courtship demonstrates the lengths some birds go to obtain a mate. Similar behaviour can be observed later in the season as many birds will bring their offspring to feeders once fledged and place food in their open mouths. These actions provide hours of entertainment for any backyard birder and are just one of the many reasons I leave my feeders up all year.

IMG 7346 Edit - The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds — **Considered a nuisance by many, European Starlings are not fond of safflower and will often leave this seed alone.**

Year-round feeding can also come with some frustration if your yard is frequented by blackbirds such as Common Grackles or European Starlings. These birds often exhibit aggressive behaviour around feeders chasing away more desirable songbirds. A flock of grackles or starlings can make quick work of a feeder full of seed either by consuming it or scattering mixed blends on the ground searching for their favourite.

34185819885 e9aebe8fda o - The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds — **Purple Finches are one of the many birds that have visited my feeder filled with safflower seed.**

Fortunately, there is something that can be done to combat grackles and starlings from visiting your feeders. The solution is to fill your feeder with safflower seed. Safflower seed is white in colour and similar in shape to black oil sunflower seed though slightly smaller. High in protein, fat, and fibre this seed provides excellent nutritional value for songbirds. Safflower seed has a bitter taste which grackles and starlings will often leave alone while other birds readily accept this offering. Birds that frequently eat safflower seed include:

Northern Cardinal
Black-capped Chickadee
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
House Finch
Purple Finch
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay
White-breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse

Another benefit of offering safflower seed is most squirrels will turn their noses up at it. Chipmunks, on the other hand, love safflower and will make repeated trips to a feeder if accessible filling their cheeks each visit.

IMG 4455 Edit Edit - The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds — **Safflower seed in my fly through feeder is a popular feeding spot for Mourning Doves. This particular bird was photographed as it waited patiently for a spot to open up.**

Safflower seed can be offered in just about any type of feeder including tube, hopper, tray, or fly through. If you are introducing safflower seed for the first time, be patient as it can sometimes take a bit of time for the birds to become accustomed to it. Adding small amounts of safflower seed to your regular seed may help birds adjust to the change quicker. Increase the ratio of safflower seed slowly until you are offering 100% safflower. Some birds may scatter the seed at first as you make the transition but in my experience, many of the birds listed above accept safflower wholeheartedly. If you are hoping to attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to your feeder when they return to Southwestern Ontario in a few weeks, fill your feeder with safflower seed, they absolutely love it!

IMG 5031 Edit Edit - The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds — **Black-capped Chickadees are a common backyard bird which readily accepts safflower seed.**

In terms of cost, safflower seed is an economical option. It is roughly the same price as a bag of quality mixed seed while coming in slightly more expensive than black oil sunflower but less pricey than peanuts, a favourite of grackles and starlings.

IMG 3486 Edit Edit - The Safflower Solution: How To Outwit Those Pesky Blackbirds — **Switching to safflower seed during the summer months will help attract Northern Cardinals to your yard while deterring less desirable birds including starlings and grackles.**

If you are looking for a solution to the frustration and terror grackles and starlings can bring to your feeders during the summer months, give safflower seed a try. Remember to be patient when first introducing it as it can be an acquired taste. If given a chance, you might just find that the variety of birds frequenting your feeders increases with the addition of safflower seed.

Good birding,
Paul

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If You Plant It, They Will Come:
Success From My Monarch Waystation

mon 1 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **Creating a Monarch Waystation is a simple, inexpensive measure anyone can do to help this at risk butterfly.**

In the summer of 2015 I decided to designate a portion of my yard for the construction of a butterfly garden. I wanted to create a large habitat attractive to all pollinators, but in particular the Monarch Butterfly. After doing some research and following the guidelines laid out by Monarch Watch and their Monarch Waystation Program, I decided on the plants I wanted and came up with a size and shape for my garden. My existing garden already consisted of several of the plants required for a Monarch Waystation, but I wanted to increase the size of my garden and the variety of the plants within it. In particular I wanted to add more milkweed in hopes of eventually having Monarch Butterflies reproduce in my garden. I spent the first few weekends that September constructing the garden in anticipation of the fall native plant sale that takes place each year at the St. Williams Nursery. For those of you not familiar with this nursery, they specialize in native plants found in our area, and I knew I would be able to find everything I needed to complete my garden at this annual event.

mon 5 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **Swamp Milkweed is an excellent choice for wet areas. The purple blooms provide an excellent nectar source for adult butterflies, while the leaves provide food for Monarch Caterpillars.**

As expected, I was able to find everything I wanted at the plant sale and was especially impressed by both the quality of the plants and the prices. I ended up coming home with a wide variety of native wildflowers including four varieties of milkweed. My garden already contained Common Milkweed that I had grown from seed, but I purchased several more plants as I wanted to have a more substantial patch in one particular section of my garden. The other varieties of milkweed I purchased were Butterfly Weed, Swamp Milkweed, and Sullivant’s Milkweed.

When I returned from the sale I quickly got to work getting everything planted. As part of the planning and construction of my garden, I had already marked out where I wanted everything based on plant height and light requirements. Many of the plants I purchased were still in bloom, and it wasn’t long after getting them in the ground when I observed several bees moving from flower to flower.

mobee - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — Butterfly Weed is a low growing variety of milkweed. The beautiful orange blooms are a great food source for all pollinators and as is the case with all types of milkweed is a host plant for the Monarch Butterfly.

12087671 787618071361644 5659097381689162113 o 225x300 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **This sign on my fence indicates that my yard has been certified as an official Monarch Waystation.**

Meeting the criteria set out by Monarch Watch for their Monarch Waystation Program, I submitted an application form and registered my garden as an official Monarch Waystation. A few weeks later, I received my certificate and metal sign, which I proudly display on my fence overlooking my waystation.

Despite their recent drop in numbers, I had always observed a few Monarch Butterflies in my yard each year, typically during their fall migration as they would stop briefly to feed on my goldenrod and other late blooming wildflowers. To my knowledge, I had never had a Monarch Butterfly reproduce in my yard as I would often check the milkweed for eggs, caterpillars, or any signs of caterpillars including leaves that had been chewed or even droppings, also known as frass. I was optimistic that with my new larger garden and wider variety of milkweed this would eventually change.

As we entered spring of 2016, I was excited to see all of the plants I had added the previous fall emerge form the soil. I found myself out in the garden almost daily pulling weeds and watching as each plant grew. By summer, my garden had filled in nicely and everything was in bloom. Watching bees and other butterfly species move from flower to flower was quite rewarding, but unfortunately still no signs of Monarch Butterflies reproducing.

tag - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **In the fall of 2016, I photographed this tagged Monarch Butterfly nectaring on my New England Aster.**

Even without any signs of Monarch Butterflies reproducing in my waystation, I was still very happy with my creation. I spent many hours that first year watching and photographing bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds as they all benefited from the habitat I provided. In September of 2016, I observed a tagged Monarch Butterfly as it nectared on one of my New England Asters. I was able to photograph the butterfly and read the number on the tag, which I submitted to Monarch Watch, as well as other online sites for sharing tagged Monarch sightings including various Facebook groups. Unfortunately, I never found out where the Monarch originated, but was still happy to see that my waystation was providing a food source for this particular butterfly as it made its long journey south to its wintering grounds in Mexico.

mon 2 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **Monarch Butterfly nectaring on my Butterfly Weed**.

Spring of 2017 was virtually a carbon copy of 2016, I was out in the garden almost daily pulling weeds and watching plants emerge for another season. What was more challenging this year was that many of the plants had spread, so I had to be extra careful making sure that I was in fact pulling weeds and not any of the beneficial native plants that were now showing up in areas where I had not planted them. With the spread of these plants I am now planning to transplant many of them this fall and have already started designing another butterfly garden for my front yard.

egg - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **This Monarch Butterfly egg was found on the underside of a Common Milkweed leaf in my Monarch Waystation.**

By the end of May, I had observed several Monarch Butterflies in our area, but none in my yard. I began searching my milkweed plants for eggs and caterpillars, but still no sign of them. Eventually in mid-June despite having not seen a Monarch Butterfly in my yard, I discovered the first egg on the underside of a Common Milkweed leaf in my garden. Finally, a sign that Monarch Butterflies were reproducing in my waystation. As weeks passed, I continued to find more eggs throughout my waystation and even a few small caterpillars.

lay - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **Monarch Butterfly laying an egg on the underside of a Common Milkweed leaf.**

One day in early July, I noticed a Monarch Butterfly as it flew in circles over top of my Common Milkweed patch. I watched as it moved form leaf to leaf depositing several eggs on the underside of the leaves. What was unique about this Monarch was that she was missing the top portion of her left forewing, which made identifying her quite easy. As the month progressed, I noticed an increase in the number of Monarch Butterflies frequenting my waystation and consequently discovered more eggs. About a week had passed from the time I first observed the female Monarch Butterfly with the torn wing when she captured my eye once again moving about my Common Milkweed. I grabbed my camera and watched and photographed as she deposited more eggs on the underside of each leaf. In total, I saw her lay 31 eggs throughout my waystation. A few days passed, and once again the same female with the torn wing appeared in my waystation, again laying eggs. This time I witnessed 36 eggs laid bringing the total that I have seen laid from this one butterfly to 67 eggs.

cover photo - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — Creating a Monarch Waystation involves planting a variety of plants not just milkweed. Other flowers both for nectaring and shelter are required. Earlier this month I photographed this Monarch Butterfly as it nectared on a Purple Coneflower.

So far this year, I have observed multiple Monarch Butterflies in my waystation including several females laying eggs. I have enjoyed watching them as they nectar on the various flowers that are now in bloom including many of the milkweed plants. In fact, I have observed more Monarch Butterflies this year than I have by mid-July in previous years, which makes me optimistic that maybe their numbers might be on the rise.

mon 4 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **I have observed this female Monarch Butterfly, easily separated from the others by her torn left forewing, lay 67 eggs in my Monarch Waystation.**

Those of you that have followed my blog for while now will know that I have particular soft spot when it comes to species at risk, so observing Monarch Butterflies reproducing in my waystation is incredibly rewarding for me. In fact, words cannot describe exactly how this makes me feel. What started out as an idea and a hope nearly two years ago has finally come to be, and I could not be happier.

mon8 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **Monarch Butterfly nectaring on my Swamp Milkweed.**

Creating a Monarch Waystation or a similar habitat for Monarch Butterflies in your yard is easier and less expensive than you may think. Suitable plants can be found at many area garden centres and you do not need a large area to designate, simply start with a few plants. If you don’t have a yard of your own, ask a friend if they would be interested in creating a butterfly garden together in their yard. Other options would be at your child’s school, your church, or perhaps convincing your condominium corporation to add one on the property. With habitat loss being one of the biggest threats facing the Monarch Butterfly creating habitat is something anyone can do to make a difference.

mon 3 - If You Plant It, They Will Come: <br> Success From My Monarch Waystation — **With its low height and compact size, Butterfly Weed can be incorporated into even the smallest garden.**

Several varieties of milkweed can be purchased at local garden centres with each one having unique characteristics. Some varieties grow tall, some short, while others prefer moist areas. Regardless of your landscape, there is a type of milkweed perfectly suited to it. One thing all milkweed shares in common is that it is the only plant consumed by Monarch caterpillars and therefore the only plant Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs on. Without milkweed there would be no Monarch Butterfly.

I hope this post will inspire you to create your own Monarch Waystation or similar habitat. With a little work and some patience I think you too will see that if you plant it, they will come.

Good birding,
Paul