This was a BIG year!! I was surely kept busy, tagging 3290 Monarchs during the season. Only 31% were female and the other 69% were males. And more than half of these Monarchs were tagged during the first three weeks of the season up to the big flight on September 19th. During the census, we counted 6939 Monarchs which averaged to 168.58 Monarchs/Hour. Wowsers.
Andy Davis put together a preliminary graph comparing ALL of MMP census data. 2010 is definitely up there, averaging ~40 Monarchs/Census but the numbers would suggest 2010 couldn’t quite beat the records from 1999. Regardless of what the data says, 2010 was still an incredible season. It is impossible to forget standing in a snow globe of black and orange winged creatures in Cape May, watching thousands, maybe even millions of Monarchs cross the bay on a beautiful day in September. Here are some pictures I took to remind you and get you excited about next year!
Look at all those wonderful people checking out the Monarchs roosting in the trees. Is that the Hawk Watch counter I see? The Monarchs caught everyone’s attention this season!
Monarchs enjoyed the Eastern Red Cedars.
In fact, they roosted just about anywhere at night. But it wasn't too cold for them; they aren't snuggled up next to each other for warmth.
Monarchs even made it on the white board of exciting birds at the Hawk Watch platform.
Monarchs zoomed across the dunes, not paying attention to people standing and watching. They were focused on one thing: crossing that bay.
Yep, those are all Monarchs, dotting the sky.
Monarchs (and Buckeyes, too!) were dripping from flowers along the Red Trail in the Cape May Point State Park.
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