Southern Migration

[Telly]

Last week saw hundreds of Robins hanging around in some Live Oak trees. They were feasting on immature acorns. Around a puddle, they were misbehaving. One would go in for a quick wing splash, then after a couple seconds another one would come in and shoo it out. One after another. Looked like some sort of community shower.
The next day, the Robins were gone, and the Doves took their trees back again.

This year's migration of Monarch Butterflys is looking poor, at least so far. They pass through here twice a year, going to and from their Mexican hideout. For two or three weeks in October I can watch them flutter and glide to the South. Some stopping for refueling on little tiny weed flowers that are out in the grass this time of year. Usually, I will see maybe 10 per minute, if I look around in all directions. The first ones I saw were last week, have seen very few. If you're holding them up, send them on down

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by Telly

This year's migration of Monarch Butterflys is looking poor, at least so far. ... Usually, I will see maybe 10 per minute, if I look around in all directions. The first ones I saw were last week, have seen very few. If you're holding them up, send them on down

If it's as windy at your casa as it is here, they're travelling south at a pretty good clip. But like you, I haven't seen much sign of them yet. I thought they'd bounced back reasonably well from the freeze in Mexico a couple of winters back. Maybe not...

[newguy88]

I need to make my southern migration soon! This working in New jersey with my new home in north carolina until dec 22 is getting old real fast!

The fools I work with are as nasty as can be, jealous I think, anyway many butterflies Monarchs were seen most summer days in the woods near my new home in NC!!

[astromeria]

When I lived in the Bay Area, I visited a state park in Santa Cruz that had a huge population of overwintering monarchs. I would go on a very warm winter day when the butterflies would flutter about in great numbers--awesome!

[audreyh1]

Here in Central Texas we've been seeing lots of monarchs coming through since Oct 1. Looks like a normal migration here.

Audrey

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

This year's migration of Monarch Butterflys is looking poor, at least so far.

According to the news, they are going to England this year.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

We've got 'em in spades this year. They like the deep red and the pink penta flowers.

[Telly]

Originally Posted by audreyh1

Here in Central Texas we've been seeing lots of monarchs coming through since Oct 1. Looks like a normal migration here.

Audrey

That's good. Maybe they are taking a detour due to our extreme drought here.

Saturday was perfect flying weather; In the 70's, not a cloud in the sky, winds light and variable. Sat out in a chair for a couple hours and just lazed part of the afternoon away. Over that time, only saw maybe 10 at the most fly by.

Was watching a hawk, with wingspan well over 4 feet, ride the thermals. Never a flap, just turned in a circle and went up and up. Then used that altitude to soar here and there. I wondered why a hawk looking for food would do the cry now and then. After a while, another hawk sidled up, and they soared in formation. A pair, I assume. After some minutes, they would separate, and later come together again. The whole time, they never flapped a wing.

Then I saw something totally new. A good-sized Monarch fluttered over, following the ground like they usually do, then up over obstacles, a part of the house roof, in this case. But it didn't descend, it stayed up over the roof, soaring, and started to do big circles over the roof. It was climbing on a thermal! I've never seen a Monarch do that. Once it got high enough, it slowly moved off from above the roof, and sometimes would reverse it's rotation. Just soaring, no wing flapping. Up and up it went. I was straining to see it, if I would have looked away, I never would have found it again. It was just speck. It then headed off to the South. I never thought of Monarch Butterflies as little sailplanes. I figured they just fluttered their way from up North to Mexico and back. I guess this one wasn't hungry and was making the best of the conditions.

If it's as windy at your casa as it is here, they're travelling south at a pretty good clip.

I don't know for sure, but I have assumed that when it's too windy, like it was Friday, that they hunker down somewhere and wait for better weather. I've never seen them on a real windy day. But I guess if they were cruising at 1000 feet, I wouldn't see them!

I know a bit earlier in the year, the Chimney Swifts cruise way up there to get some sort of migrating little moths, or so I've read. I can see the Swifts dart, that they caught something, but whatever it is is too small to see from the ground.

While I'm talking about birds, a Mockingbird in the neighborhood has a new call... the sound of a car starter cranking! Silly bird. At least they have stopped using the construction equipment back-up alarm call, and have forgotten the cell phone ringing call.

[lets-retire]

It's funny I didn't see any, until you posted this. Now I see them all over the place typically flying south.

[Zipper]

We had gazillions of monarchs in September. They particularly like Coneflowers Butterfly Bush and Zinnias.

We had robins up until yesterday. They had been gorging on crabapples for a couple of days and suddenly they were gone.