Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Have a Nice Flight!

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It is the end of October and the monarchs and cloudless sulphurs and gulf fritillaries are noticeably more numerous in their fall migration. The route takes them right through our area.  Saturday, the St. Marks Refuge held their annual butterfly festival. We were not able to attend because it was a home FSU game and our guys are committed to do parking as a scout fundraiser. But we do not rush down there when there are crowds, anyway. So we had scheduled our trip down for Sunday.

It was cool and windy and sunny. We have seen more butterflies in the past, but it was still worth it to go, especially right down on the dike along the Gulf where the salt bushes can be depended upon to collect the monarchs for one last feast before they take the leap. That is, they begin their flight across the Gulf to Mexico where they gather for the winter in unbelievable numbers.

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Of course, a little goldenrod nectar, for variety, is always nice, too.

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