Date: 09/28/2011

Number: 500

September 29
I went back the next day and there were still hundreds there! I was amazed when we stumbled upon this area, people don't go back there much, so I assume they like the lack of disturbances. Not sure they were the same ones, of course, but there is a small (nearly) stagnant end of a stream there. I think it is coming off the main river through San Angelo because we could hear ducks in the distance. Where they were is a short walk (over the river and through the woods so to speak) from the international water lily garden of San Angelo and there several other types of flowers than lilies as sources of nectar over there. I am not certain if it was an overnight roost, since I am not very familiar with monarch habits, but now that I think it about it - probably! It was around 7pm when we found them and they were mostly resting on shrubs and bushes and didn't fly until a squirrel would jump through or if we brushed against the bush they were on. Even then they would fly right back to rest. Although, some of the bushes we worried were poisonous because they looked oily and we got itchy (but no rash), my husband mentioned it looked as if they were licking those leaves.... not sure what that could mean!

September 28
We went to the local water lily garden to hopefully find the Monarchs feeding there, we did a little walking back by the stream and as we walked back across an old bridge/dam, we found HUNDREDS of Monarchs! They were all resting and flitting around. One of the most amazing experiences of my life! There were probably more than 500 but of course I couldn't count them all, just a guess on all the clusters we saw.

The orange flower is what they really seem to love, and it was nearby the water lilies.

San Angelo, TX

Latitude: 31.6 Longitude: -100.5

Observed by: Sarah
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