Date: 10/21/2025

Number: 29

After arriving 10:30 to the wildflower field east and south of the dog park to look for the Monarchs from Gary's observation yesterday, and locating five nectaring intensively on the Red Clover, I headed to Point Pelee. Arrived to the tip area approximately 11:45. Strong winds from the west were creating large breakers on the west side of the tip.
Headed immediately to the east side.
Less than 1 m distance walking northward, I disturbed a Monarch in the sand. It was immediately carried eastward on the wind out over Lake Erie. It fought intently for multiple minutes to make its way back to the shelter in the lee of the wind on the
sand. After disturbing a few more individuals and watching them struggle in the same situation, I decided to keep my distance from the edge of the forest. In spite of my best efforts, I still disturbed multiple more individuals who were indiscernable from the leaves in the sand. Slowly made my way northward scanning with my binoculars and the naked eye. I was able to locate singles, doubles, and two groups of five in various types of vegetation ranging from denuded Wild Grapevine, Virginia Creeper, Hop and Mulberry at elevations ranging from the sand to multiple metres up in the trees. I would
say that half a dozen were settled in, the rest were easily disturbed and/or flitting about on their own in the warm, micro climate created by the sun and the wind shadow on the east beach.
These individuals may be stuck here for some time with the wind conditions and rain that is forecast. My concern is there are no significant nectar sources in this area of the park. It is likely that these individuals will roost overnight. Weather as of noon: partly cloudy, 14°C with feels like temperature of 9°C (this is mitigated in the location where they were), wind W 31 km/h with gusts to 41 km/h, humidity 65%, dewpoint 7°C, pressure barometric pressure 101 kPa

Checking the weather app on my phone, there is a squall WARNING as of 20:48 as I am typing this report at work, indicating wind gusts up to 40 kn (roughly 75 km/h) which is strong gale according to the Beaufort scale. These Monarchs, if they remained where they were when I left them, are in a precarious spot. Wind expected to be from the southwest and west. With this intensity, they could be blown out over Lake Erie as there is not a lot of landmass between the west and the east side of the tip.

Leamington, ON

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -82.5

Observed by: Laura
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