Date: 11/10/2015

Number: 1

Per email to Russ Schipper, for submission to Michigan Birds and Natural History as this may be a significant record: On Tuesday, November 10 at 10:15 a.m. at Warren Dunes State Park. I spotted what I believed to see a Monarch Butterfly flying just off the lakeshore. The butterfly was flying over the low, grassy dunes just north of where the primary trail from Floral Lane lets out to the beach. I ran to see if I could get a photo and better look, and eventually found the Monarch nestled in dunegrass. I got a clear look at the Monarch with wings closed and open, and noted the size (about 2.5-3 inch wing height and about 3.5-4 inches wide when wings were open), and color (orange with black veining, black wing border with white spots, and a black body). I raised Monarchs in my home this summer, working via email with Ilse Gebhard, and have taken wing prints before — I feel absolutely comfortable saying this was a Monarch, though I was not able to sex it. When I raised my phone to take a photo, the butterfly flushed with my shadow and I was unable to get a clear photograph, but I did note the distinctive up-and-down flutter and characteristic, unpredictable flight pattern that I’ve seen with Monarchs in migration in this area of the lakeshore. The butterfly continued along the shore until I lost track. My husband, Dan Collison, also noted the very particular Monarch-esque flight (and can verify that I screamed with excitement and ran after it when I first saw it :)

Bridgman, MI

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -86.6

Observed by: Elizabeth
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