Date: 10/02/2010

Number: 900

Saturday, Oct 2

Chincoteague NWR, Assateague Island, VA

Friday night there were monarch roosts in several locations on the island with a few hundred monarchs in each roost. They roosted in the Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod) along the beach and in the wet meadows of Bidens laevis (large bur-marigold) along the wash flats road. At first light this morning there was a 15mph NW wind so the monarchs took flight. They migrated down the beach about 3 per minute (not big numbers but the flight was constant for a few hours). By late afternoon, winds were from the East and pushed the monarchs back to the Delmarva Peninsula.

Although recent storms caused beach erosion and overwash of the interdune area along Tom's Cove, most of the seaside goldenrod that we planted this past spring survived. The monarchs spent the day on Friday nectaring on it, and then started roosting on it at 6pm. Today we planted 300 seaside goldenrod plants to stabilize a dune and provide more nectar at a critical monarch stopover point. Planting will continue along Tom's Cove during the next week as weather permits.

Editor’s Note: We are estimating 900 monarchs based on observer’s description of several locations on the island with a few hundred monarchs in each roost.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Assateague Island, VA

Latitude: 38 Longitude: -75.3

Observed by:
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