Date: 09/09/2018

Number: 30000

Visible from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge "Wildlife Drive", open weekends only.

We viewed between 7-9:30 am this morning. We are experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Gordon, so we have strong wind pushing off of Lake Erie (16-20mph) creating a nor'easter. The water levels are pretty high from a combination of rainfall and lake levels over the past 20 hours. Temps are about 60 degrees F with high humidity. The monarchs are roosting on the western side of the trees out of the wind as much as they can be, but they are still bouncing around like crazy. There are pockets of them low in willows and dogwood, but even more towards the tops of cottonwood and maple trees. They were packed in there so tightly that in spots we thought that the leaves had started to change until we had a closer look! There are also monarchs moving over the marshes in the hundreds.

One of the best parts is that the monarchs are resting along the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge's Wildlife Drive and we are able to share this incredible sight with our visitors! Here's a link for the map of the Wildlife Drive (the second page). Every tree had monarchs on it, from South Estuary Avenue thru North Estuary Avenue and parts of Veler Road and Trumpeter Trail, and a small section of Stange Road. Absolutely incredible. https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/ONWR%20Trail%20Map%202016.pdf

Editor's note: We've re-dated this report from 9/09 to 9/08, the night the roost formed.

Curtice, OH

Latitude: 41.6 Longitude: -83.2

Observed by: Aimee
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