Here are a few of this week's observations. Read the comments and calculate the migration rate for each. Add your favorites to your own Migration Highlights Map. Record this fall's most impressive observations on your Fall 2005 Record Sheet. (Don't forget: You can collect more observations from our migration maps and weekly updates.)

10/11/05 Kennesaw, GA
“Watched in awe from 5:15 to 6:05 pm, as I counted 130 healthy Monarchs heading in a southwesterly direction over our school and rear parking area. Weather was 79*F, partly cloudy with intermittent sprinkles. All seemed determined on their path, coming in small groups of no more than 4, cruising at various altitudes and possibly towards an overnight roost nearby. “

10/11/05 Piedras Negras, Coahuila (28 N, -100 W)
"Ya Estan en Mexico! Por fin la noticia que todos esperamos nos llego en Piedras Negras, Coahuila cuando el Ing. Juan Garza llamo por telefono hoy a las cinco de la tarde para informarnos que las monarcas estan cruzando la frontera a razon de 80 mariposas por minuto." (Courtesy of Correo Real)

10/12/05 Hewitt, Texas (31 N, -97 W)
“We saw 20 - 30 monarchs fly through our playground at Spring Valley Elementary School in a thirty minute period. The children were very excited to see all of them heading in the same direction. We are mailing our symbolic butterflies today so this was a perfect day for them to fly by!”

10/11/05 Grand Prairie, TX (32 N, -97 W)
“My class and I observed a number of monarchs, approximately 22,
flying high in the sky. Very few were low but higher than the playground monkey bars. Some were gliding very high and a few were flapping their wings and flying fast in mid-air. What a fascinating sight it was. We alerted other teachers as they were coming out to observe them.”

10/12/05 San Antonio, Texas
”I started looking up at clouds to focus my binoculars for observing high flying birds, like the chimney swifts, when I saw MONARCHS! I couldn't see most of them with unaided eye, but they indeed were soaring with their little wings out stretched to Mexico. Lower flying Monarchs were easily identified. We easily saw about 20-25 in a 10 minute period (about 5 PM).”

10/11/05 Dallas, Texas (33 N, -97 W)
“While sitting at lunch, a few of my co-workers sit and watched about 50 monarchs moving from the north to the south in downtown Dallas... There were some traveling in groups of 3 or 4... and then there were alot of those traveling on their own... About every 15 seconds there would be one pass by... They are just beautiful!”

10/12/05 Pilot Point, Texas (33 N, -97 W)
“Great evening sunset! Observed from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and saw 168 Monarchs sailing on northeast breezes about 3-5 mph looking for their evening roost. It was a clear day, low humidity with temps about 79. A handful decided to roost in my ash trees but many checked them out and pressed on south for better places. I did observe an interesting thing, dragon flies seemed to be accompanying the monarchs. I'm not familiar with dragon flies so I don't know if this is a common event or totally unrelated.”

10/12/05 Austin, Texas (30 N, -98 W)
“In a 20 minute period, 10:20 - 10:40, approximately 100 Monarchs were in my limited view. They're still flying over now.”

10/11/05 Dallas, Texas (33 N, -97 W)
”I am on the 33rd Floor in a Downtown Dallas office building. For the passed 45 min. or so, I have seen approximately 100-150 Monarchs floating by!”

10/11/05 Dallas, Texas (33 N, -97 W)
“While sitting at lunch, a few of my co-workers sat and watched about 50 monarchs moving from the north to the south in downtown Dallas... There were some traveling in groups of 3 or 4... and then there were many traveling on their own... About every 15 seconds there would be one pass by... They are just beautiful!!”

10/11/05 Mansfield, TX (32 N, -97 W)
I saw 20 butterflies during a 5 minute drive from Arlington to Mansfield. And I have seen so many flying by our windows here in Mansfield during the day....there' goes one right now!”