Date: 09/09/2021

Number: 100

Hundreds of Monarchs, many resting in cedar trees, other evergreens, and shrubs, sheltering from West winds, fluttering about the park, and many occasionally venturing to test winds out over the water's edge before returning to shelter. Three were observed venturing out over the water southward together which were not seen returning, flapping with bodies pointed west-south-westward into the West wind but moving nearly due South. About two and a half hours spent from mid-morning until afternoon observing in the park at the Point. Number of individuals is a rough estimate of how many I could have counted within the park and on foliage. Many more were in the area surrounding the walkable park and hidden in foliage. Had I arrived earlier I may have seen them roosting in larger groups, as reported by discussion with other visitors, before their more active daytime seeking a favorable wind to venture the nineteen miles over the water to the nearest parts of the Door Peninsula. The image shows the southern tip of the Point and nearly unlimited visibility, with a few adults resting in the cedar foliage, and with at least six adults over the water testing the wind before returning to rest in shelter of the trees and shrubs. On the horizon is the faint spire likely of an unidentified shoal marker 20 miles SSW near the Whaleback Shoal in the center of Green Bay; out of frame to the left is the Minneapolis Shoal light at just over six miles due South, and just left of that was the faint view of the nearest parts of the Door Peninsula nineteen miles away to the SSE. Adults are still emerging from further North, which many will travel through here.

Rapid River, MI

Latitude: 45.7 Longitude: -87

Observed by: James
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