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.)

10/14/05 Plano, TX (33N, -96W)
The sight here in Plano, TX is amazing!! Within an hour time span we can count over 100 butterflies fluttering by! My homeschooled children are so excited and thrilled with this opportunity to see our state insect up close and personal.

10/14/05 San Antonio, TX (29N, -98W)
I work in an 8th floor office with a window view towards the north. After procrastinating this morning by surfing the web a little bit, I read about the Monarch Watch program on the TPWD website. Looking outside I started noticing monarchs flying by my window. I can literally count over a hundred in less than 5-minutes. I work on the north side of San Antonio, weather this morning is mostly overcast (but clearing), temp ~80-deg F, northwind at about 12mph. All are flying, the lowest ones at about the level of my window. (Courtesy of Mike Quinn, Texas Monarch Watch)

10/14/05 San Antonio, TX (29N, -98W)
Between 8:55-9:05 am (10 minutes) 283 monarchs were sighted. About 8:45am I watched one circle overhead (in about 10-20 foot diamter circle and perhaps 100 feet up) flapping wings, looking so fragile, yet still rising until its was much smaller to my binoculared eyes, then caught its thermal, stretched out wings and headed south. Fascinating.

10/15/05 San Antonio, TX (29N, -98W)
Between 9:05 and 9:15 am, 218 monarchs were counted.

10/17/05 Santiago, NL (Nuevo Leon) (25N, -99W)
Son las 11:00 de la mañana del día 17 de Octubre de 2005, me encuentro en El Cerrito, municipio de Santiago, N.L. en el entrenamiento del Club de futbol "Rayados" de Monterrey. Cuando de pronto observo el paso de las primeras mariposas Monarca, el espectáculo para mi es maravilloso, pues ya las esperaba con ansia.

10/14/05 Uvalde, TX (29N, -99W)
As we drove from Knippa to west of Uvalde (from 6:15 p.m. to 7pm) on Highway 90, we counted 220 monarchs flying.

10/15/05 Eagle Pass, TX (28N, -100W)
Monarchs by the thousands are clustering in trees all over the Radar Base, drifting idly about. Hanging around. On the way back from town just now I could see 6-10 each second! Some in dedicated flight, but many others just spiraling around desultorily chasing one another. What a day! It's a monarch party!

10/15/05 Eagle Pass, TX (28N, -100W)
From 9:57-10:23 I counted monarchs passing:

2 min.-----16
2 " -----17
1 " -----23
5 " -----46
3 " -----15
5 " -----46
2 " -----20
20 " -----183 monarchs which could mean ____ monarchs in one hour's time across an area 100' x 75'. Highest monarch viewed----80' (naked eye).