Date: 10/21/2010

Number: 1

The coastal migration continues slowly along the Coastal Flyway here at the midcoast of Texas at Lavaca Bay. We are making four runs aross the Lavaca Bay Causeway to the peninsula at the north end and counting there daily. Where we were counting 480 an hour a week ago, we are seeing about 10 to 20 an hour the last few days. When the wind was out of the NW to N the flow of monarchs was great with the tailwind across the bay, now with the wind out of the SE to S the flow has been greatly reduced. We see them staying up in the trees, out of the wind with sunflowers to nectar on, and then working around the shore of the bay staying in the trees and taking the long way around the bay. About every three to five minutes we see one coming low along the openess of the shell shore or the tidal weeds of the peninsula heading SW battling wind and then out across Lavaca Bay. There may be a wind change Sun or Mon but the next real front is expected next Friday ... there still is a huge number of monarchs stacked up along the Gulf coast waiting to make the turn at the coastal bend of Texas and head for Mexico!
Has been hot (88 to 90) and dry (29 days without rain) here on the Texas coast ... nectar sources could use a watering! Our observation time is 2 to 3 hours each day.

Port Lavaca, TX

Latitude: 28.5 Longitude: -96.7

Observed by: Harlen E.
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