dmoulton338 Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 The Monarch's Fall Migration to Mexico is Underway! August 21, 2009 ***************************************************** Today's Message Includes: * Latest News: The Monarch's Fall Migration to Mexico is Underway! * How to Follow the Migration With Journey South News * How to Report Your Sightings & Links to Migration Maps * Where to Report Your Sightings * Fall Monarch Migration: A Guided Tour for Teachers * You're Invited: A Tour to the Monarch Overwintering Sanctuaries ***************************************************** Latest News: The Monarch's Fall Migration to Mexico is Underway! The first clear sign of fall monarch migration has just been reported. Last night, an overnight roost filled with dozens of monarchs formed in north central Minnesota. The monarchs are still resting there as I write. They have nearly 2,000 miles to fly to their winter home in Mexico. Here's the first-hand report: August 20 Sartell, Minnesota (46N, -94W) "Imagine my surprise and delight when I realized that the odd shading on the tree was actually dozens of monarch butterflies that had landed and were perched on one of the branches. As I ventured closer, I realized that two of the braches of the tree were just loaded with monarchs. As I watched, another half a dozen of them came and landed, one at a time. What an amazing sight." ***************************************************** How to Follow the Migration With Journey South News http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/News.html Beginning next week (August 27th), weekly FALL MIGRATION UPDATES will be posted every Thursday until the monarchs reach their winter home in Mexico in November. ***************************************************** How to Report Your Sightings & Links to Migration Maps http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/MapsFallAbout.html We hope you'll help track the monarchs' trip by reporting news about the monarchs you see. Here are the types of observations we are collecting this fall, and links to each migration map: 1) Migrating Monarchs http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_f09_all.html When you see migrating monarchs, tell us what you see. Important: Please include your observation time. Tell us how many monarchs you saw per hour (or minute). 2) Overnight Roosts http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_f09_roosts.html Monarchs rest at overnight roosts at the end of each migration day. If you're lucky enough to discover a roost, please report your finding! 3) NO Monarchs http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_f09_none.html If you are watching for monarchs but not seeing any, let us know! This information is very important. It gives us what's called "absence data." It tells us that we do have observers in places where monarchs have not been reported. (Without this information we wonder, are there NO MONARCHS or simply NO OBSERVERS in such places?) 4) First Monarchs http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_f09_first.html When you see your first monarch of the season, let us know! This information tells us where, prior to the date of this first sighting, monarch have either been absent or have gone undetected. The signficance of this depends upon where you are located. If you live in Canada or the northern United States, a 'first' sighting in August or later suggests that there have been very few monarchs breeding in your region. In the south, first sightings could be early migrants from the north, or locally breeding monarchs that had gone undetected. 5) OTHER Monarch Observations http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_f09_other.html If you see monarchs that are laying eggs, nectaring, or at various stages of their life cycle, report "OTHER Monarch observations." Also, report here if you're not sure the monarchs you see are migrating. We review every observation posted so don't worry about selecting the 'right' category, just tell us what you see. ***************************************************** Where to Report Your Sightings http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/jn-sightings ************************************************************ Fall Monarch Migration: A Guided Tour for Teachers http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/GuidedTour_RoadMap1.html Are you and your students ready to embark on a real-time, scientific journey to Mexico with monarch butterflies and other citizen scientists? Our "Fall Monarch Migration Guided Tour" is your planning resource. Each step in the Guide includes essential goals, lesson activities, slideshows, reproducibles and more--everything you'll need to implement an inquiry-based learning experience for your students. Start with wonder, and discover the magic of monarch migration. ************************************************************ You're Invited: A Tour to the Monarch Overwintering Sanctuaries The Monarch Watch of Texas, under the leadership of Dr. William Calvert and Bonnie Chase, is offering a lifetime opportunity to see the monarch butterflies in their winter roosting grounds in the highlands of central Mexico. There are openings for the week of February 20th through February 28th, 2010. The trip includes a visit to the volcano Paricutin and the church that it enveloped, the delightful colonial town of Patzcuaro and two exquisite resort/ haciendas. We have designed this adventure to show you an aspect of Mexico not seen in regular tourist excursions – Mexicans living in a rural area grappling with problems of making a living off the land while trying to conserve the monarch butterfly. Emphasis will be on the monarch butterflies and exploring the natural history of the region, but the trip also will include many cultural and culinary delights. The cost of the trip is $1,500, based on double occupancy. International airfare is not included. Openings for later trips may become available. For more information, please contact Bonnie Chase at bchasemail@yahoo.com. Copyright 2009 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/contact/help_contact.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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