Date: 07/27/2019

Number: 11

The premigration is on in MI! My kids and I drove north on US-23 in MI from the MI/OH state line up to Alpena. I was stunned by the blatant, obvious signs of migration! Monarchs were in directional flight at car height, headed SW. We observed directional flight from 9am to 11 am. After our noon lunch, we noticed monarchs were primarily scanning the roadsides to nectar and/or possibly oviposit. Winds were light in the morning, but picked up considerably when we reached East Tawas, changing to 17mph sustained winds from the southwest. We saw several smaller butterflies in directional flight as well, I thought they might be red admirals by their flight pattern but could not see them well enough. When we reached East Tawas, we stopped at Gateway Park on the shore of Lake Huron and a red admiral flew by us as we played. It tried to fly in a southerly direction, but repeatedly had to take cover in the grass to shield itself from the strong SW wind. We lost sight of it as it flew around a tree.

We were in Alpena 2 weeks ago for 1 week and did not observe directional flight on either leg of our journey.

I attached a photo of the milkweed in East Tawas on the shore, taken 2 weeks ago.

Following are the notes my daughter jotted down during our trip North yesterday, as I dictated them to her.

July 27th Journey North to Alpena on US-23 North

9:15 am to 9:35 am

8mph SW, 77 Fahrenheit

Rauch Rd North of Exit 5
2 Monarchs headed SW in directional flight at car height

Bemis Rd Exit 32
One Monarch headed SW in directional flight at car height, had to swerve slightly to miss it




9:54 a.m. Exit 55 possible Red Admiral, directional flight headed SW

Mile Marker 82
Red Admiral ? Headed SW

Milemarker 84
Monarch 15 feet over road, directional flight headed SW

Exit 122
10:27 am
Red admiral
15 feet above road, directional flight headed SW

Exit 122, little further north
10:28 am
Red Admiral
15 feet above road, directional flight

Break from 11am to noon for lunch

12:15pm Merger on to I-75, mile marker 178
One monarch
3 feet above ground
Flying southeast, non-directional flight


Exit 188
Monarch
In median
Hovering over swamp milkweed
82 Fahrenheit

12:38 PM
One monarch
Flew out of ditch
Headed SW
Au Gres
US 23 south of Swanson road
Near amish furniture store

12:56
US 23 North
Delano Road
Monarch sailing SW, not directional flight though
15 feet above road

Harrisville state park
2:30pm
1 monarch headed south
Flew up over windshield

Red admiral
Flying one foot above road headed west

2:47 PM
Negwogan state park
1 monarch
Windshield height, gliding
Headed North
Winds from the SW at 17 mph


2:49 PM
Barlow rd
15 miles south of Alpena
1 monarch
Headed NE, at windshield height
Slow flight

East Tawas, MI

Latitude: 44.3 Longitude: -83.5

Observed by: candy
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