March 9, 2013
Dear Friends:
After snow in the Sanctuaries one week ago, and sunny but rather cool days during the week, temperatures now seem to be rising non-stop. The monarchs should begin their rush northwards any minute.
As I drove up to El Rosario Sanctuary on Saturday, hundreds of monarchs were flying downstream as I climbed. All along the way, I got out to experience their indescribable performance. Their artistic, swinging flight took them in every direction, but they joined together in the end following a stream like passengers in a train rushing to reach an appointment somewhere, and on time.
I was indeed moved as I watched. I tried to stamp such moments in my mind to keep until the monarchs come back to us again next fall. I wondered if I was seeing an advanced sign of their real and definite rush to the north. I should confirm this within the coming days.
At reaching the core of the Sanctuary, there seemed to be fewer Monarchs than I saw one week ago. Visitors marveled at what they saw, in spite of knowing that the monarch population was low this year.
Like last week, about a dozen trees contained monarchs. However, they were not as full as they the last two times I've been to "Los Letreros", where the Monarchs continue to stay.
Two things have been different about my observations this year:
1) I never saw any spectacular explosions this season, when the butterflies suddenly burst from the trees at once.
2) I have seen very little mating. In previous years, we would see mating pairs everywhere we looked. This weekend I saw only three pairs. The guides do tell me mating it taking place as normal nowadays. However, for the first time, no photo of a mated pair is included in my report at this time of the season.
I'm eager to announce that the monarchs are clearly on their way. I'll hope to have the news by next week at this time!
Your local reporter,
Estela Romero
Angangueo, Michoacán
Ready to rush northward
Drinking nectar
Core of the sanctuary
Finding moisture
Dry conditions
