Date: 09/14/2021

Number: 10

In the pines, a little windy so a rest is in order.


[Additional information contributed by observer, added by Journey North, 09/17/21]:

Wednesday, September 8th was our first encounter. One week of visits and off they go. Tuesday the fourteenth, around 11 am. It had been cooler the night before in the lower 60's. Upper 70's low 80's in the day. Big dip.
They stuck around for a few hours, coming from the north east. Heading south westerly against our winds this day when they left. A little windy with gusts. They were coming in lower between and over our neighbors houses. A mobile home community. Trees (Maple, Elms) our bushes there only shelter, having a major interstate a matter of a few blocks west of us. I do not believe any of them stayed overnight. They came in clusters, or groups. Early mid mornings, between 9 and 11 and later in the afternoon between 3 and seven in the evening they kept coming and going. Leaving by sunset. Again I cannot express enough how they did this together. I had never seen this before.
Wednesday the 15th, another cold snap high fifties for our evening. We had maybe five go through all day. Then Thursday, not a single one. This cold has made a difference, I hope they make their journey.
To count them, I had to take a picture for some to then count. Others were just by the handful. There were others, admirals flying around the groups. Being social or curious. A couple of hummingbirds in a video I uploaded did have a problem with one particular group that came through. I believe it was a food fight but I'm no expert. Oh, the trees around me I keep calling pines, they smell of it. But I do believe that they are a type of "Fir" very tall 3 clustered here they can see from far off. There is a berry bush that grew here wild they did visit, but not to feed from. It doesn't flower this bush, just fruit. I have forsythia bushes they stopped in, but just to pose for pictures. Four O'clocks are in bloom, morning glories and honeysuckle. None of which they fed from that I saw. I will be planting milkweed next year. One did pass away. (exhaustion from the warmth on the 9 or 10th) It was warm that day, afternoon when I went to check on them. I found it (not sure of sex) under one of the branches they were clustered next too. Not above, or around this poor one. I did put it in a jewelry box. I haven't looked in but the husband says it's there. I will send, if you need it for research. They seemed to appreciate me taking it. Natural causes, found wings out flat, feet up, tongue out.

*Update Friday Sep. 17th as I write I thought we seen our last after this very cold nightly weather, again upper 50's. But today we had 5 at least and one stop for a picture.high 80's today I will keep a look out.

Bourbonnais, IL

Latitude: 41.2 Longitude: -87.9

Observed by: Kimberli
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