Date: 09/05/2021

Number: 50

I first noticed them on 9/05; it's 9/07 and they're still here.

[Additional information and photo contributed by observer, added by Journey North, 09/09/21]:
Most of the monarchs have been roosting in a spindle tree, with a few in a maple and a mulberry. I have a very long backyard, over 200 feet, and the back half of it is surrounded by mature trees.

I first noticed them around 2 pm on September 5, as I walked through the yard. I don’t know the first thing about monarchs (well I do now), but it was unusual to see more than one at a time, so I investigated. I was amazed to see dozens of them perched in the trees.

Later, I tried to do a quick count of the ones I could see from where I stood, and determined there were at least 50.

I go out back to visit them multiple times every day. On the night of day three, we had a pretty good rain storm, very windy, and the next day I found that they had moved further back in the yard, to a more sheltered spot. Again, most of them are in a spindle tree.

There don’t seem to be as many now, but they could just be out of sight. The canopy is pretty thick in that corner of the yard. Wish they could stay forever!

Wyandotte, MI

Latitude: 42.2 Longitude: -83.2

Observed by: Mary
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