Date: 10/04/2024

Number: 210

Arrived to the tip area of Point Pelee National Park at 18:00, approximately one hour prior to sunset, clear blue skies. Conditions according to the weather app on my phone at 17:47: 20°C, wind North 2°, speed 17 km/h with gusts up to 24 km/h, humidity 68%, barometric pressure 102 kPa and rising.
With a North wind all day, I wasn’t expecting to see any Monarchs or roosts. However, as I entered the tip parking lot loop, I was greeted by a male Monarch who briefly alighted on a Red Cedar. Two others came in off the west edge of the tip and headed immediately to the area where the shuttle loops around. They alighted in the undergrowth, each separately on denuded grape vines. Proceeded down the west tip path, intending to check the spots where I left Monarchs resting this morning. Got stopped in my tracks along the way by the number of Monarchs coming in off the west edge of the tip. There was a lot of activity in the air and it was difficult to follow the path of the Monarchs as dozens upon dozens of dragonflies and many Blue Jays feeding in the Hackberry trees were disturbing the Monarchs. Monarchs were flitting furiously to avoid all of the activity. Very difficult to count exact numbers with all of this activity. Gradually made my way to the tip where I noticed that roosts had started forming. Many of them low down just above head height and others right at eye level. Four separate groupings of 30 or so, on different branches of one Hackberry tree just north of where the ring buoy is located. Roosts on the east side just in from the beach on Mulberry, on denuded grapevines hanging in the interior, on other Hackberrys near to the one pictured. This count is a rough estimate and I will be visiting in the morning to get a more accurate count. Many Monarchs headed into the forest and I was unable to find where they roosted, as I ran out of daylight. Was able to show some out-of-town visitors the Monarchs and they were thrilled. Monarchs were still coming in right up until sunset and just after, the final one coming in 15 minutes after sunset. Many singles were noted, not roosted in groups. North wind will continue in the morning so I expect they will be on their way first thing.
Observations with binoculars and the naked eye.

Point Pelee National Park, ON

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -82.5

Observed by: Laura
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