Migration Rate Math
Who saw the strongest migration this week?
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Week ending September 7, 2007
Here are a few of this week's observations. Read the comments and calculate the migration rate for each. Record this fall's most impressive observations on your Record Sheet and add your favorites to your own Migration Highlights Map.

9/3/07 Brevert, MI (42.87 N, -84.36 W)
On September 3, 2007, while sitting on the balcony of our upper level condo on Lake Michigan in Brevort, MI, in the Upper Peninsula we first saw a flock of perhaps 30 monarchs headed west late in the morning. During the noon hour and into early afternoon, we saw individual monarchs pass by, headed west, at the rate of perhaps one per minute. Also, although I did not see this firsthand, a friend living on nearby Brevort Lake told me she had seen a tree covered with monarchs on her property the same afternoon.

09/02/07 Cleveland OH 41.49 -81.67
My wife was in Cleveland visiting at Cleveland Metropolitan Hospital, on the 9th floor. That's high up! She noticed Monarchs migrating south through Cleveland at her level and above the 9th floor. In an hour's time, she saw a dozen Monarchs glide by the 9th floor window.

09/02/2007 Prairie City IA 41.55 -93.25
Twenty-five monarchs were observed at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge during a one and one-half hour visit. Most of them were nectaring on tickseed sunflowers, which appeared to be the choice of many varieties of wildflowers blooming at this time.

9/1/07 Greenville, SC (34.85 N, -82.40 W)
I saw about six monarchs from 2 through 6 pm. I was on a field that afternoon. It was sunny and not very much wind.

9/1/07 Saint Ignace, MI (46.05 N, -84.69 W)
On Sept 1st, 11 AM, we stopped at a beach along the northern shore of Lake Michigan about 20 miles west of St Ignace and in 1/2 hour walk we saw 12 monarchs heading west along the beach.

9/1/07 Saint Joseph, MI (42.03 N, -86.45 W)
On a lower Lake Michigan sand dune near St. Joseph, sighted 25-30 monarch flying south between 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

08/31/07 Brook Park OH (41.40 N, -81.83 W)
About 50 individuals observed during morning hours between 9 and 11 AM, sometimes in pairs.

08/30/07 Whitby ON (43.88 N, -78.93 W)
Doug Lockrey reports that a mid-morning count of 20 monarchs per minute passed by the Cranberry Marsh bird observation plantform yesterday (August 30th).

You can collect more observations like these from the sightings database and migration maps.