Date: 09/25/2018

Number: 1500

We have had rain for days and now as it is clearing they are traveling south. It is the most we have seen in years,it is wonderful to see.
We are seeing at least 25 monarch per minute.

We were watching for several hours, mainly after 1pm. This is the most we have seen in the last 5 years.

Our home is situated on the slopes of Fox Mountain rising 2,000+ feet to our east, and the Shenandoah National Park, with Cedar Mountain rising 3,000+ feet to our west. From our vantage point at 1,200 feet (in the five acre wooded meadow/pasture/garden I cleared in our 65-acre forest property), the Monarch fall migration pattern funnels between these two mountain ranges in the areas known locally as Blackwells Hollow and, further south, Brown's Cove.

The peak migration Carmen and I observed on the afternoon of September 25 occurred as the weather finally cleared, right after days of rain, when (I assumed) Monarchs left their roosts en masse on their flight south.

Carmen pointed out to me dozens that were flying so high, I would not otherwise have noticed them. Another contingent were flying just above the tree tops. And a third group were skimming above the pasture, pausing for refreshment on blooming golden rod and buddleias.

As evening approached, I saw one or two Monarchs appear to settle in for the evening in the upper branches of a very tall White Pine. The other taller trees comprising the forest in our neck of the woods are mostly Oak, Hickory, Ash, Sweet Birch, Black Gum, Black Cherry, and Tulip Poplar. I have not seen any large congregations of Monarchs in our trees this year. In past years, I recall some over-nighting in the sweeping branches of our 200-year-old White Oak.

Crozet, VA

Latitude: 38.2 Longitude: -78.7

Observed by: Carmen
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