Date: 08/31/2021

Number: 240

I have never seen that many monarchs flying before. They were all traveling along the shoreline of Lake Michigan towards the west/northwest. I counted them over an hour and a half.

[Report moved from Monarch Adult Sighted to Monarch PEAK Migration by Journey North, 09/01/21]

[Additional information contributed by observer, added by Journey North, 09/03/21]:
Having never seen this many butterflies before up here I was surprised to notice them as I talked on the phone. The monarchs were flying above and around the trees on Forest Beach in Harbor Springs, MI. I was in a house on the hillside above the beach and trees. They were all going in the same direction and several would swirl around together (as if chasing each other in a circular motion) for a few moments and then move on. I observed them from a second story window and then from the first story deck of a house on stilts.
They were all going west/northwest along the shoreline flying away from Harbor Springs.
There was not much wind that day (Aug 31, 2021). It happened from 1145 AM to 1240PM and I stopped counting at about #215 but more flew by me after that as well.
I have looked for them in the days since then but have only seen one or two flying here and there in town.

Harbor Springs, MI

Latitude: 45.5 Longitude: -85

Observed by: Lucy
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