Mapping Fall Migration “Highlights” As the monarchs travel to Mexico in the fall, we attempt to identify the "peak" migration as the butterflies travel southward. The migration records are color-coded, using a different color for every two-week interval, so that the timing of the migration can be seen at a glance. Identifying "peak" migration is always a subjective call. This year, with monarch numbers so low, it may not be possible at all. However, we will arrange highlights that have been reported from the field onto a special map called, “Highlights from the Migration Trail.” The map will link to comments from observers in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Reports from Mexico are typically written in Spanish. Make your own map of Migration Highlights. Use the comments we provide to illustrate what takes place as the monarchs travel on their annual passage across the continent. Feature observations such as these: Classic observations of monarch behavior that occur year after year during fall migration (such as sightings from roost sites and butterfly gardens, of butterflies flying over head in a southerly direction, etc.). Spectacular and/or unusual observations (of high-flying monarchs, tagged monarchs that have been re-captured along the route, monarchs caught in a storm or hurricane, or that may even have crossed the Atlantic Ocean). Observations that puzzle scientists with questions they can’t yet answer. Make a display that your whole school can enjoy! Note that our fall migration map is quite different from the map we produce in the spring. In the spring, "first monarch sightings” are displayed. This allows students to analyze the timing and pattern of the leading edge of the migration in a scientific way.   Copyright 2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form