Date: 09/17/2012

Number: 150

For the last three days (9/16-18) there have been more migrating monarchs than I have seen since I moved here four years ago.

Sunday, September 16. I returned home in the early afternoon to find about fifty monarchs on flowering goldenrod and asters in the back yard of my 1/4 acre lot. The SW wind has been blowing since yesterday afternoon so these monarchs are stopping by until the winds are more favorable. At dusk they flew off towards the woods. I have suspected a roost on the island for two years now - still looking for it. Keep losing them when I try to follow.

Monday, September 17. Morning: On the Northeast of the island, facing Cape Cod, they were blowing in off Buzzard's Bar at the rate of one about every three minutes for the entire hour I spent there. Seaside goldenrod has been flowering for about a week now, but also saw 3 monarchs nectaring at flowering Groundsel Bush (Baccharis halmifolia) Afternoon: At the SE beach, I counted over 150 in an hour, clinging to the goldenrod in the stiff breeze. 40-50 in the back yard every time I counted.

Today we have weather rolling in. About 20 -25 in the yard on the goldenrod even as the wind is blowing over 21 miles an hour. Fewer on the beach in the open wind than yesterday but a few were still coming in every few minutes on the NE side
I am interested to see the numbers after the weather. Most of the smaller white asters are just beginning to bloom and they were heavily used by migration monarchs last year.

Will they find a roost to wait out the storm? Do they always roost together or will some of them try to ride out the storm wherever they find themselves?

West Island, MA

Latitude: 41.6 Longitude: -70.8

Observed by: Louise
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