Eastern Monarch Fall 2022 Report #3
Published: 10/11/2022
Central Flyway: Texas Is a Hotspot
Journey North volunteers in Texas started reporting monarch roosts at the end of September and since then, the state has become a hotspot of activity. Fall roosts and peak migration events are on the rise.
Lynn in Wichita Falls, TX: “74 degrees F, wind at 9 mph from east. Checked the favorite hang out for the Monarchs on the chat trail at Lake Wichita Park. Around 300 roosting in the boxelder, hackberry, and other trees in the grove. Always a beautiful sight!” (10/03/2022)
Margaret in McKinney, TX: “Multiple monarchs over course of last three days. At one point counted 20 all feeding on this single greggi mist plant in my garden.” (10/09/2022)
Still Activity Up North
Despite cooler temperatures and shorter daylight length that October brings, Journey North volunteers in the Upper Midwest and Southeast Ontario, Canada are still observing monarchs. How much longer will monarchs remain in these areas? Check out monarch fall migration maps from previous years and make a prediction
Bill in Thief River Falls, MN: “Second day in a row that I’ve spotted female Monarchs feeding in the Cosmos patches, of which I have two. I’m located in NW Minnesota above the 48th parallel, so these sighting are a surprise. This one in the photo want to play hide and seek among two long rows of Cosmos.Temp in the 70° range. Light southerly wind and clear.” (10/04/2022)
Katherine Love in Cobourg, ON: Reported by Don Davis: “[Katherine] spotted three monarchs on the Cobourg west beach area. It appears that this one is possibly nectaring on a white aster.” (10/10/2022)
Eastern Flyway: Picking Up the Pace
The Eastern Flyway often lags behind the Central Flyway in timing of monarch roosts and peak migration activity. But since the beginning of October, the pace has picked up, particularly in Appalachia, the Southeast, and along the Gulf Coast.
Susan in Myrtle Beach, SC: “Our condo is behind the dunes next to the ocean in Myrtle Beach, SC, and while we were on the deck, about 17 monarchs flew by us. All were traveling solo. Most were headed inward toward land, and some were traveling south, parallel to the sand dunes.” (10/07/2022)
Brian in Daphne, AL: “Counted ~250, likely many more in this area. They stack up here every October on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay to feed on flowering bushes along the marsh and beach.” (10/07/2022)
Paige in Cape May Point, NJ: “There were scattered roosts around Cape May Point tonight. Some with 75 monarchs, others with 100, some with 25 or 30.” (10/09/2022)
Theresa in Canton, NC: “We had a beautiful day at the Cherry Cove Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was 57F, mostly cloudy with 6mph winds. We counted 210 Monarchs passing through between 3:30pm to 4:30pm.” (10/09/2022)
