Date: 10/09/2013

Number: 250

I checked the route to large grove and the grove itself starting at 15:30. Wind south, brisk, gusty. Temp about 80. Monarchs on liatris were flying more than yesterday, probably stirred by wind gusts. Not directional flight. Numbers seemed somewhat fewer than yesterday, but conditions were different. The grove itself had many MORE Monarchs in it than yesterday, sheltering from sun and wind. Most perched, a few flying. As I walked through the grove, small clouds of Monarchs would bloom from branches, then resettle after a minute or so. For total number I just went with same as yesterday.

I drove by a few other shelter trees and most had Monarchs flying around downwind side.

At sunset I saw a number of Monarchs flying into the large Live Oak (Q. fusiformis) near to our house, which is an archetypical hollow half sphere with outer leaf canopy descending right to the ground. The few Monarchs that I could track to final perch, all perched more than 30 feet from ground, inside the leaf canopy.

Chalk Mountain, TX

Latitude: 32.1 Longitude: -97.9

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