Date: 10/07/2024

Number: 23

Arrived to the tip area of Point Pelee National Park approximately 18:25. Conditions according to the weather app on my phone: sunny 17°, with windchill of 16°C, Wind West at 14 km/h with gusts to 20 km/h, humidity 52% dewpoint 7°C, barometric pressure steady at 102 kPa.
Immediately noticed activity in the large Hackberry tree behind the tip washrooms. Watched five Monarchs settle into an already established roost with an eastern exposure near the top of the tree. Should be noted that there were roosts in this tree earlier in the season.
When it seemed like activity there was done, count 10, I headed to the east beach as there was a very good west and northwest wind all day. Left my bike at Darlene‘s bench and headed to the east beach scanning with my binoculars. About parallel with the Carolinian Canada sign, I started to notice some groupings in Hackberry trees. Groups of: four, three, two and four separate single monarchs. All except one monarch were observed higher up in Hackberry trees. The last one was in a Mulberry tree. This guy was the one closest to the tip, in a tree where I had noted Monarchs in a previous report.
Please note that in the attached photograph which is quite blurry because I took it minutes before sunset, there are midges in the sky by the tens of thousands, if not millions. The sky should actually be blue, but it is not because of the midges. They are audible as well due to their shear numbers. They land on the Monarch wings and the Monarch has to open its wings to get the midge off. I chose the photo with the purpose of illustrating the midges that the Monarchs have to tolerate.
More of the same wind continuing on Tuesday, October 8, perhaps the Monarchs will still be there in the evening.

Point Pelee National Park, ON

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -82.5

Observed by: Laura
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.