Date: 05/28/2020

Number: 2

Right on schedule and through the same two trees, across my back yard, and headed north.

These are definitely monarchs and not painted ladies. The flying pattern is more of a glide and a swoop, and each monarch follows the same path as the previous one. Painted Ladies have a different color pattern and the butterflies I see are not that pattern.

So 2 years ago I just happened to be looking at our bird feeder when I watched 2 monarchs glide through two fir trees just to the south of me. I watched them as they flew past, then circled back and floated through a couple of deciduous trees. Then they fluttered out into the open within 10 feet of me and headed north east away from me.
Just as I looked back another monarch came through the exact two trees, fluttered around the deciduous tree then off NE.
This continued to happen almost daily, and I’d guess that the first year I saw about 20 in all.
Last year in late May I saw the same. The same route, same trees, same directions.
In May of this year (same as previous years) I’ve spotted approximately 10 monarchs. I don’t have pictures. By the time I get my phone or even venture to photograph it’s too late. I can definitely say that the butterflies I see are monarchs, they are more of an orange color and they all travel the same path. I’m just in awe of that!

Salem, OR

Latitude: 44.9 Longitude: -123

Observed by: Jody
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