Date: 09/29/2017

Number: 50

Dozens of monarchs flew in from the offshore islands during the afternoon. Upon making shore, the fed on asters and goldenrod and rested in the spruce trees at Marshall Point Light. The numbers seem to be increasing each day.

It is difficult to give an accurate estimate of the total number that came through. In the hour that I was there (12 to1 PM) there was a significant swarm of as many as 50 in sight at any one time. Our visitors log from the previous day noted in several places that there were "many butterflies". I was unable to get there today (9/30) so I don't know if it is still happening. I'll try and have a look again and I'll check with the volunteers from today and see what I can learn.
During my observation time the wind was NW 10 gusting 15. Sky was clear and the temp was in the low 70's. Pretty nice day. This was a crosswind for the monarchs. The most distant island from which they appeared to be flying was Monhegan about 11 miles off the mainland. There are several islands on the way from there that have flowers in abundance at this time of the year so I'm not sure how far they flew between refueling stops. I'm not sure if they spent the night, however, in past years they did.

This has been an annual occurance except for last fall when very few showed up. This year we have had 2 or three a day for the past couple of weeks feeding on our verbena and wild asters in our back yard. (we live 6 miles from the lighthouse on the shore of Penobscot Bay)

Saint George, ME

Latitude: 43.9 Longitude: -69.3

Observed by: Mark
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