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Weather and Migration
Conditions were perfect for butterfly flight on Saturday, April 4th. What new facts can you learn about migration from observations like these?

• At what latitude are monarchs arriving where milkweed is just emerging? (This is a clue that monarchs are arriving early, and 'pushing the limit' as they move north. )
• Where were 50 monarchs clustering? (the very unusual spring report of a monarch roost?
• Who saw monarchs with fresh wings? (These could be very early monarchs of the next generation!)

Observations from Citizen Scientists

April 4      Portland, Arkansas (33 N, -92 W)
We have never seen so many monarchs in our area in the spring as we have seen thus far this year. About 6:30 we noticed several monarchs, 5-6 per tree, on these tall cypress trees in a brake in our back yard (water source). As time progressed, so did the monarchs and as darkness approached most congregated on tree #7 to spend the night. The wind was approximately 30 mph from the southwest, temp 76, gorgeous day but they were roosting on the back side of the trees out of the wind. At dusk there was approximately 50 monarchs roosting for the night in the large cypress trees behind our house. Is this unusual? What a gorgeous sight. We love them and feel so honored by their stay with us.

April 4     Kingfisher, OK (36 N, -98 W)
Not one, but "two" first of season female Monarchs were seen today in my garden laying numerous eggs on my native Showy and Swamp milkweed barely poking up from the ground. The females were worn, but not tattered.

April 4     Benton, AR (34 N, -93 W)
We saw our first hummingbird of 2009 and out first Monarch of 2009 on the same day. All were spotted mid-afternoon when the temperature was in the low 70s. Our neighbor said that he saw a ton of Monarchs that same day.

April 4      Pauls Valley OK (35 N, -97 W)
I was sitting on my front and side porch...Monarchs kept drifting by, all around my yard & other nearby yards, ( of adjacent city blocks ) ...every time I was outdoors. They all appeared to be brilliant new in color with fresh pristine wings. No wear or faded color was evident. (Although I did not glass every single one.) It was difficult to know the total numbers ...but I would make a wild guess that there were at least a total of 12 - 36 ... or even more ?The Monarchs were being seen in all directions. Also ... There was a strong south wind.

April 4      Randlett OK (34 N, -98 W)
This weekend I saw several groups of Monarchs fluttering around. I saw about four several groups of 8 to 12 Monarchs flying north along highway 277/281.

April 4     Sand Springs, OK (36 N, -96 W)
I saw my first monarch of the year yesterday in my yard. (This is the northernmost sighting.)

April 4     Tupelo MS (34 N, -89 W)
I saw a Monarch this morning around 10:30am while waiting in traffic at a intersection. Wings were moderately faded. Skies were partly cloudy with light to moderate E-SE winds and temps in the low 60's.
(This was the easternmost sighting.)

Strong south winds in Texas on April 4th gave