Date: 09/05/2004

Number: 1

At the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory outside of Windsor, Ontario, we have a 40ft tower where hawk counters monitor the fall migration of hawks, songbirds, hummingbirds and now the tagging of Monarchs.

Today our counter indicated many hundred monarchs were flying over the tower early afternoon at rather low altitudes. He was able to see them with his naked eye; no binocs or scope necessary. Winds were out of the south at 5-10 mph all day. Dense fog covered the area until well into midmorning. These were not particularly good conditions for any type of migration yet our Monarchs were moving.

I was down on the ground where my husband and I were banding songbirds and hummers. I saw just a few Monarchs that were definitely within a "distinct directionality of their flight" ;on the move. The temperature was 86° F and very humid.

Contributed to Monarch Watch

Windsor, ON

Latitude: 42.2 Longitude: -83

Observed by:
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