Date: 09/11/2010

Number: 1

The monarchs are here!!

While at Robert Moses Beach on the South Shore of Long Island/Atlantic Ocean, I spotted over 575 monarchs. This is the most I have seen in many years and I can't recall seeing them so early in September. Many monarchs were flying in pairs, something I have never seen before.They were all very healthy looking and flying strong. Today was a sunny day with temps in the high 70s and a light SSE wind. With the migration being 10 days earlier than in previous years,their usual feeding source of golden rod like plants, have not yet bloomed.

At dusk as the clouds rolled in, they were flying to the pine trees to roost for the night. Unfortunately due to lots of poison ivy around the trees, I could not get close enough to the trees to take any photos. My observation time: I was watching for 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Hauppauge, NY

Latitude: 40.8 Longitude: -73.2

Observed by: Barbara
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