Date: 09/17/2010

Number: 1

Clouds of Monarchs crossing west to east across the Chesapeake Bay (Sept. 17) Annapolis, MD to Stevensville, MD

The monarchs roosted Thursday night in the bayberry/groundsel tree

thickets along the bay shore at Sandy Point State Park. With the rising

sun, their flight muscles warmed and they lifted off. Feeling the tug of

a strong west wind, they surrendered to it and found themselves sailing

over Chesapeake Bay. Some glided just above the car rooftops on the

eastbound lanes of the 4-mile bay bridge; others soared over the

white-capped waves. They weren't alone. Their fellow travelers-- common

buckeyes and green darners rode the same wind. They made landfall at

Terrapin Park on the eastern shore. The monarchs drifted over the sand,

through the Spartina and Phragmites, over the freshwater ponds to the

fields. The wind was perfumed with the seductive scent of tickseed

sunflower. Masses of golden flowers lured monarchs down into the fields

by the hundreds. By mid-morning the wind picked up to 15-20mph. By late

afternoon, monarch numbers had increased to several thousand. Standing

amidst of this dance of swirling orange wings and gold petals, I felt

infused with energy.



I also felt grateful for being able to witness this scene and knew that

it would not have been possible without the managed fields. The fields

were planted and are maintained by the Anne Arundel County Parks Dept.

They could have kept this area as mowed grass for visitors to play

frisbee on. Instead they put in the time/effort to create a habitat-- an

old field stage of succession with an emphasis on native warm-season

grasses.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Annapolis, MD

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -76.6

Observed by:
Contact Observer

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