Date: 10/06/2014

Number: 450

Overnight temp 66F. Humidity at sunrise 80-90%, much higher than last two days. Wind light and variable in the morning.

Between 10:00 and 11:00 I drove a check route. At least as many monarchs as yesterday feeding on Gayfeather Liatris sp.) and perched in tree groves and individual trees. Those in trees, as yesterday, were easily disturbed, and mostly perched 4–10 feet from the ground. By 11:00 temperature up to 80F and humidity down to 50%. For this report I decided to put all in peak migration rather than split some out into roost, since this was still early in the day. Yesterday I reported those perched in trees as a roost.

At 13:00 wind came up and remained brisk initially almost east but working to south by end of day and overnight. High 84F.

I did a quick check of tree grove roost sites roosts at sunset. Monarchs were more spread out and higher in trees than earlier in the day. They also flushed from many trees/clumps as we drove past, then returned to perch.

Picture is a group of Monarchs jostling for a perch on the same apparently irresistible Cedar Elm twig.

Chalk Mountain, TX

Latitude: 32.1 Longitude: -97.9

Observed by:
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