Date: 11/04/2007

Number: 1

I was impressed Sunday with my visit to Smith Point.
I left my house at 7:15am and didn't see a Monarch during the two hour drive.

Foggy in patches and the fields down Hwy 562 to Smith Point were wet with dew.
I arrived at 9:00 driving to where the road dead ends at the water. At first and I couldn't find any monarchs but then at 9:10 I began to see the first few in the air over the trees near the water.
I watched as two flew in circles then three or four more on the Lantana near the road.

At 9:15 I began counting and saw 10 per minute crossing in front of me along the bay.
9:20 15 per minute

At 9:25 I drove around the corner to the hawk watch tower and counted 20 per minute crossing in front of the tower and over the water.

For the next three hours I counted an average of 25 per minute crossing just out from the beach over the water. Some were close and some so far out that they could only be seen with binoculars.
Behind me approximately another 5 monarchs per minute passed the tower not he field side.
A few high points were between 10:15- 10:20, 11:00- 11:03, and 12:00 - 12:05 when I counted 50-60 monarchs per minute.

I left Smith Point at 12:30 and was surprised to find that as soon as I turned down the road, the Monarchs were no where to be found. Only one or two monarchs on the way back down the long road to the freeway. The migration at Smith Point is happening just at the coast.

A few observations I found interesting:


1. Monarchs flying very low (only approx. 3' above the bay water).


2. Monarchs skipping over the water then touching the water and then up again.
Are they trying to drink? not salt water!


3. Every few minutes I would see a monarch touch the water then get waterlogged and unable to fly.
flapping/ flapping/ flapping---- Then.....a fish would jump up and eat it.

All the monarchs I could see, looked in good shape.

I am heading back down to Smith Point on Thursday this week

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Smith Point Hawk Watch, TX

Latitude: 29.5 Longitude: -94.8

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