Date: 09/11/2013

Number: 40

Checked several alfalfa fields in bloom this afternoon, and all of them had feeding monarchs. Counted a dozen in the first, and a dozen in the last. In between, I checked half a dozen fields where I saw 3-6.
I can safely assume that there were many times more monarchs than I saw. Conditions here have been dry and warm and today is very windy, mostly west but with a northern bias.
One farmer I talked to said that because it has been so dry he does not plan to cut his alfalfa. Perhaps others are doing the same.
I am entering this in the PEAK migration category for a couple of reasons. For one, I have never made an entry here before. For another, I am calling this DesperationMigration2013. I had just about given up on a late hatch and flight but today is proving me wrong. There will definitely be roosts tonight. Even though current temperatures are 80+, the night is supposed to bring 50s........the monarchs will know.
Tomorrow is supposed to be northerly winds, so today's monarchs will probably be gone. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to catch new sightings on these same fields.
If so, tomorrow night should be another good roosting night, with temps perhaps reaching the 40's.

Osceola, WI

Latitude: 45.3 Longitude: -92.7

Observed by: Pat
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