Date: 10/11/2019

Number: 139

On a trip through Great Smoky Mountains National Park and up the Blue Ridge Parkway, we spotted a number of migrating monarchs. The first that we saw were from 11:42 to 11:52 at Newfound Gap where we saw 6 floating through. It was 59 degrees with little breeze and sunshine. There were very few flowers left and none of the monarchs that we saw stopped at the Gap.

At 12:50 we spotted one monarch at Mile High Overlook on Heintooga Ridge Road just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was, again, 59 degrees and sunny with no noticeable breeze and this southbounder did not stop to nectar.

Moving far along the Blue Ridge Parkway we did not spot any more monarchs until we stopped at Courthouse Valley Overlook near Hwy 215 in order to walk our dog. From 3:35 to 4:30 we observed 132 monarchs floating and flying southbound at various levels overhead. It was 58 degrees, overcast with a little breeze. Only two of the 132 monarchs stopped to nectar, this one in the photo nectaring on Heal all. There are scant flowers at the high elevations now due to drought and the earlier high temperatures.

It was a beautiful sight to get to see so many!

Canton, NC

Latitude: 35.3 Longitude: -82.9

Observed by: Elizabeth
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