Date: 08/31/2022

Number: 25

Saw at least 25 Monarchs crossing Lake Michigan from the east to west. This was in a period of about an 1 hour. There's no telling how many I would have counted if I would have watched all day!

[Additional information contributed by observer, added by Journey North, 09/01/2022]:

First we were sitting on our lake side porch, which faces Lake Michigan. We live on the Garden Peninsula Michigan so we are located almost at the “top” of Lake Michigan. The Garden Peninsula is about 30 miles east of the Stonington Peninsula, which has always been said to be a migration marker for the Monarchs. We noticed/counted at least 10 Monarchs coming from the lake and heading straight west. Shortly after that, we went out on the lake in our kayaks and estimated at least 15 more. This phenomenon lasted most of the day, just wish we had sat down all day and counted. The numbers would have been amazing!

Observation period of about 1 hour at approximately 10:00 am

The first observance from our porch, they were flying west from Lake Michigan and right over our house which sits on the shores of Lake Michigan. They all seemed to be flying the same westerly direction. The majority of the Monarchs were flying over the lake approximately 6’ over the water. Many were seen flying just inches from the water’s surface.

Wind and weather: Sunny skies, 72 degrees with a slight wind out of the NE at 10 mph.

Manistique, MI

Latitude: 45.8 Longitude: -86.4

Observed by: Judy
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