Date: 11/12/2011

Number: 25

I was out boating with a birding group at Grand Bay National Esturine Research Reserve(NWR)and saw numerous Monarchs flying over the water in a southwest direction. Some came very close to the boat but none landed. They were flying close to the water surface, as near as a few feet above to high as 20 or 30 feet above. They seemd in their usual cadance of flit and flutter along, up and down and all around like they were on a picnic instead of a migratory ambition. There were many birds in the air but I did not see any of them attack a Monarch. South of where we were is open seas and barrier islands. This reserve is locaated near the mouth of the Pascagoula River slightly to the east and west of the Mobile Bay system to the west so it has waters in both Mississippi and Alabama. It is fresh and brackish water, esturies with marshes, low, middle and high grass beds and spit islands and mud flats and low-lands pine savannah. Near the end of the birding outing we walked some pine savannah to look for sparrows. I was surprised that I did not see any Monarchs crossing the savannah due to the frequency of seeing them out over the bay.

moss point, MS

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -88.5

Observed by: jerry
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