Date: 04/02/2006

Number: 1

Camping in Big Bend, at the Rio Grande Village in the lower end of the Park. 9:12 a.m. in the morning, 1st seen flying from north to south and landing in the tops of the honey mesquite for protection and for nectaring. This first Monarch appeared well worn.

Big Bend, Rio Grande Village in the lower end of the Park, 9:12 a.m, 1st
flying from n. to s.; landing in the honey mesquite for protection and for
nectar. This first Monarch appeared well worn.

On subsequent days in the same location, lone Monarchs seen, two over lagoon,
each day, about the same time for three days, a Monarch came through the
campsite as the 1st worn one did, also seen on the nature trail.

The temperatures rose on the 3rd and after a double visit to the Hot Springs
for relief (sitting in the river to cool off and after one windless night
after 102 daytime was enough. to send us to higher cooler ground.

On the first visit to the Hot Springs, about 3 miles west of the campground, I
observed and photographed AT another well worn Monarch using Vegas for cover.
This one had a tear on his wing tip. I attempted photos and haven’t
downloaded them to see if I captured any of them.

On the 30th of March had seen an early morning traveler in Ft. Stockton, Texas
about a mile off of the I10 to the south.

I did have a conversation with one of the state park employees at Ft. Davis
State Park that when he worked up at McDonald Observatory back in the 90’s
that the Monarchs would land on the huge framework of the domes of the
telescopes! He remembers this as being in May. He says their numbers have
been really low in the area in the following years.

Rio Grande Village, Big Bend N P, TX

Latitude: 31.7 Longitude: -89.1

Observed by:
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