migration in canada

[chanceychelsey]

I was up at our property in Bracebridge (2 hours north of Toronto) on the weekend. Our driveway is lined with goldenrod. I first spotted a monarch feeding on the goldenrod and when I looked closer saw between 10-15 feeding. Those were the most monarchs I've seen in one place at one time this summer. I didn't have my net with me, but I managed to hand catch 5 to tag. (I didn't have any more of my tags up there with me )
I believe these were migrating monarchs and it was on the 5th of September which is our middle date for migration.
It was quite exciting to see!

I still have 85 chrysalis' at home waiting to emerge. Most should be out within the next week.

Waystation 927
Tottenham, Ontario

[Paul Cherubini]

I first spotted a monarch feeding on the goldenrod and when I looked closer saw between 10-15 feeding. Those were the most monarchs I've seen in one place at one time this summer.

Yes the size of the migration is on the light side this year in the Great Lakes States and the adjacent Canadian provinces. The big numbers (e.g. 1,000) are being seen in the GMO corn and soybean farmland areas like this recent sighting in a farm town in east-central Nebraska:
http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/j ... 1315400359

[dannus plex]

I noted about 150+ moving through Hawk Cliff, near Port Stanley, Ontario today. I managed to tag 33.

[dannus plex]

Migration picking up. Difficult to give a count today on the north shore, but we managed to tag 58 in 4 hours.

[Mona Miller]

Many are way to high to even see without binoculars.

[dannus plex]

1500 Monarchs at tip of Point Pelee on Sept 15.
Very few moving through Hawk Cliff, near Port Stanley.

[chanceychelsey]

Awesome.....thanks for posting!

I had three come out today who will be released tomorrow and I'm waiting for 49 still....
They'd better hurry up, they are in the house now...too cold outside...

Waystation 927
Tottenham, Ontario

[dannus plex]

I wonder if the cool weather delays eclosion? I have 8 left in our sunroom, which is a lot cooler now and they seem to be taking longer? Mona?

[Mona Miller]

Yes, temperature does play important part in the time it takes for the whole cycle. I had a naturalist friend that had Monarchs on her closed porch. They took 8 weeks to go through the cycle when temps were like this. Heat speeds them up and cold slows them down. You want to really slow them down, put them into a wine cooler at 45 degrees or a frig at that same temp.

[dannus plex]

Moving slowing this morning at Hawk Cliff on the north shore of Lake Erie, but I managed to count 400 from 2 to 3, very few nectaring, gliding on the SE winds along the cliff.

[dannus plex]

Still moving along the north shore of Lake Erie today with a spike from 11:45-12:45 when I counted 150 within that hour.

[chanceychelsey]

Love the updates.

Thanks!

Waystation 927
Tottenham, Ontario

[dannus plex]

Thanks. Will continue 'til they're done here.

[dannus plex]

Nice clear skies at Hawk Cliff today with a SE wind. Goldenrod nearly done, but aster in full bloom. 50 Monarchs through from 9:00-12:00.