October 2017 Sightings

only there from about 2:00-3:00.

Changing temperatures downward now, along with changes in nectar sources to Asters, Fleabane (Erigeron) family and Marigolds for most of the Sachems today. Checkered Skippers were all seen on Ground-ivy/Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea).

69 degrees and sunny. ESE 7.

66 degrees and sunny. ESE 6.

88 degrees. ENE 8.

Casual observations while birding

70 sunny, little/no breeze
Red-spotted Purple was very fresh

10:15AM-12:00PM

One was fresh the other very worn.

Monarch repeatedly visited my Buddlaeia bush for over an hour (I assume it was just one, returning time and again).

72 sunny.
Masses of Frost Aster attracting many sulphurs

More Fiery Skippers than ever here nectaring on a wide variety; Aster, Goldenrod, Lantana and Verbena bonariensis.

Very brief view of a single Cassius Blue, not in the freshest of conditions

11 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Weather: intermittent rain all day and cloudy when not raining; 78 to 82 degrees, winds 16 - 26. Nectar sources: Bidens alba, carphephorus, liatris, elephant’s foot, pickerelweed, spermacoce, Phasey bean. Fall wildflowers are just coming into bloom. Scouting for upcoming field trip. Area very wet but roads passable. Linda Cooper

Sunny and mid 60’s this morning…new sighting in my yard…White M. Hairstreak…9:05 am

I only recently (3years ago) started growing Verbena bonariensis here at home and it has become one of the top draws for me, especially easy to grow and reseeds itself too.

09:30 to 15:30

72, sunny, light breeze. All butterflys nectaring on Buddleia

1 unidentified Duskywing

Did my weekly butterfly count at Lauritzen Gardens today. It was 63 degrees, cloudy most of the day with a wind of 8.1 mph. Still had a great day butterflying seeing 2175 butterflies. Painted Ladies are still in huge abundance.

Both Lady species, Monarch’s, Common Buckeye’s, and Sachems are sill common to abundant in my yard. Sunny today mid 70’s with little wind. About 70 Black Swallowtail cats or chrysalis here. Several Monarch cats also seen.

The Monarchs were steadily moving south.

Sunny, mid-80’s.
3:30 am - 5:30 pm.
with Teri.

Sunny, mid-80’s.
11:30 am - 3:00 pm.
with Teri.

10:00 AM to 12:45 PM; mostly sunny skies initially but with increasing cloud cover throughout the day; slight breeze, 3-6 mph gusts; air temperatures ranged from 68-75 F; with Della Wells.

With John Heyse, enjoyed a location new to me. A lush growth of Asters, Goldenrod and Gum Flower are the main butterfly attractants.

Sunny, high 40s
Elevation 8700 ft

Fine sunny weather

high winds , more common skippers scant.

Sunny, 73 degrees low humidity. This black swallowtail had been in its chrysalis more than 3 weeks! The lata bloomer was in the butterfly certified #2490 garden, allowing me to take this prior to flying away.

Sunny, mid-80’s.
10:30 am - 3:00 pm.
with Teri.

Area has held a Checkered White colony for the past five years. A final check, after a major section of the area was cleared and graded, found Checkered Whites still flyng and a female ovipositing. Happy to think the colony will persist into 2018.

Made a final search on this private property and found a good number of fresh looking Bronze Coppers. This final brood is the highest concentration on the site since spring.

Mostly grazed over pasture, cattle gone today, as well as nectar sources.

Highest number of species & #39th species for this butterfly garden for 2017 - Common Checkered-Skipper. Last seen here in 2015. Ocola Skippers continue. Numbers of butterflies decreasing. Monarch tagging being done in the yard by the Cape May Monarch Monitoring Project. More Painted Ladies than American Ladies with good numbers still.

Partly cloudy to sunny Winds 5-10 mid 80’s. Nor Eastern passed through yesterday rain with winds up to 40 mph.
Discovered Monk Skipper, checked BAMONA, new record for Duval Co.Fl. 80% nectaring on Summer Farewell (Dalia pinnata) 20% nectaring on Florida Paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) Numerous Common Buckeye caterpillars feeding on Agalinis fasciculata

Trail going to Durbin Creek is flooded.

80 partly sunny

80, partly sunny

11:35 – 14:30 EDT. Mostly sunny, warm & breezy at times: 80-86 deg F, wind 5-15 mph

If anyone decides to go looking for Bay Skippers at this location, be prepared to wear protective clothing, including a head net. The deer flies are brutal right now.

Major nectar sources: Bidens alba, Carphephorus spp., Liatris spp., Pine Lily, Tall Elephant’s Foot, Pickerel weed, Rayless Sunflower. Weather stayed clear, sunny and hot all of survey time, 9:30 a to 4:15 p. EPerry, RWarner, SWu (visiting from Taiwan).

I placed Monarch Watch tags#XBL059 thru XBL064 on the monarchs ( 2 females, 4 males. I hope someone sees one of them.

Low 61°/high of 81°, changeable skies, windy, with rain due tonight.

‘Death by Skipper’ annual field trip. 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Weather: 82 - 95 degrees, partly cloudy, winds 6-10 mph. Prairie very wet & few wildflowers in bloom but beautiful fall grasses. Nectar sources: Carphephorus, Liatris, Pickerelweed, Pine Lily. Painted Lady is rarely seen here but this is a good year for them all over the U.S. LCooper, SFarnsworth, NPrine.

The Northern Pearly-eye showed up at 12:57 a.m. under a Mercury Vapor Light used for mothing. It is the latest date for this butterfly in Pennsylvania so far.

Post-Irma survey 12-4 p.m. Some expected species not found.

very hot and humid conditions today
observed 30 min in am and 15 min afternoon…backyard

Sunny, mid-80’s.
9:30 am - 10:30 am.
with Teri.

Annual ‘Bullied by Skippers’ field trip. 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Weather: 79-91 degrees, mostly clear to partly cloudy, winds 6-10 mph. Nectar sources: liatris, carphephorus, Bidens alba, spermacoce, duck potato, thistle, mistflower, rayless sunflower, FL elephant’s foot. Participants: LCooper, REpstein, SFarnsworth, DRhodes, LRhodes.

Observed in park for 2 hrs Very hot humid conditions

Sunny low humidity as well as low winds.

I believe this is a Zebra Heliconian. It was late morning, around 70 degrees. Feeding on lantana. Seems very far North for this species.

Heavy rain all morning
Very surprised to find a Cassius Blue on my stroll outside after the rain

Area was in eye of Hurricane Irma. About half number of species and individuals as noted in survey in late September last year.

Sunny. Warm.
Wild Indigo Duskywings have reached northern lower Michigan.

Numbers of Monarchs and Fiery Skippers went up after passage of the remnants of tropical storm Nate overnight.

A mostly, on and off again, very light rain day with a few bright periods in between that brought out some butterflies. Temperature was 71°/77°

There were Monarch’s coming through all day today. Almost to late to get photos (due to darkness) I found 5-6 small roosts of Monarchs in my Cherry tree in the yard just now. One roost had over 50 butterflies in it.

Mid-to-late afternoon stroll around the Meadow Trail. 76 degrees, NE 4. Increasing clouds.

Mid 70s, sunny skies, light winds out of the NE. Park loop plus a loop around the pond.

Very worn, could barely fly.

10:15 AM to 01:15 PM; partially sunny skies; light breeze from NNW with 4-9 mph gusts; air temperatures ranged from 68-74 F; with Della Wells.

3-4 pm.
Very large numbers of Monarchs migrating through the town all day long.

From the roof of a building in downtown Montclair. Dozens of Monarchs migrating (over 100 counted during 11 am -1 pm), many quite high. Monarch numbers have been great (the best in at least 4-5 years) during the past several weeks in Montclair gardens and over town. Also good flights of cormorants and hawks, and a few Painted Ladies.

Mostly sunny, very dry but still some goodies

Fresh one.

This morning it got down to 36 degrees so didn’t know how many butterflies I would see when I went out at 12:30. It had warmed up to 56 degrees. Very few wildflowers blooming.

Full sun, 80F, Scalebroom top nectar.

With Shawn Christopherson and Dave Bender.

Start out cloudy and 53 degrees. by the end it was 66 degrees and sunny. The exciting observation was a new butterfly, a Bordered Patch. Probable blew up from Kansas

very smoky

Mostly cloudy all day…mid 70’s

Tithonia has butterflies abound! Planted the flower late in the season but what an spectacular display and attraction to this flower, covered in butterflies!
A lovely evening, sunny, high 70’s.

70 degrees. Partly sunny with winds SSW at 7mph.

Temp was in 80’s, sunny and warm
Shoreline Purslane and Seaside Goldenrod were the only 2 flowering nectar sources that I could find.
No Monarchs in sight

High temps in upper 80s. Common Checkered-Skippers were by far the most abundant species.

With Marc Minno, Rob Epstein, and 3 participants in the Florida Birding and Nature Festival: S Kuroda, K Karoda and B Watson. 1:45-4:10; 90’s with clouds and light rain at times. Pics show a Long-tailed Skipper laying eggs, Giant Swallowtail caterpillar with exuvia and courting Tropical Checkered-Skippers.

Abundant sunshine. 73 degrees with a slight southerly breeze.

Sunshine 78 degrees. Beautiful day with many Painted Ladies migrating through along with a couple American Ladies, Cloudless Sulphur, and a Buckeye.

Observed in backyard from 10-2
Much cooler- mid 70’s Low humidity

45 species is a new one day high for our yard.

Nice day, about 70 degrees, but 8 miles of hiking yielded only 4 butterflies total.

Cold, high of 59°, windy, clouds until 16:00 and then full sunshine with some late day sightings.

Portions of Arbuckle and Walkinwater units before rain arrived

Breezy, low humidity, 68 degrees and sunshine when noticing a monarch around 4:30pm

High today 61° under full sun and windy out of north.

A nice day for butterflying after a dreary weekend. I went out from 11:25 - 1:40. Average temperature 64 degrees. Saw 10 species.

We were happy we made it to the LRGV for about a week. Visiting many good spots, we saw many great and a few lifer butterflies, but we focused on looking for hairstreaks! Seemed early but we found nine species! Yeah!

After being gone most of the day arrived home to many, many Monarch’s front and back gardens. Est. amt 60-70 minimum. Many pictures and video taken. 2 Monarch chrysalis on side of house/garage and 1 Monarch Caterpillar. Painted Ladies continue in good numbers also. Many Black Swallowtail Caterpillars on Curly Parsley.

sunny low 70’s, very slight breeze. 4 to 4:30pm.

Sunny, high 60s…the most buckeyes I have ever seen in New York at one place at one time, from worn to very fresh, including a copulating pair. the Ocola Skipper was on marigolds in the fenced vegetable garden.

Valerie Freer,Marge Gorton and I happened to look down after looking at Common Loons off the parking lot viewing area at the Sullivan/Ulster border on Rte 55. Every butterfly was nectaring on the goldenrod. What a pleasant surprise for the 18th of October. This is the first Milbert’s that we have seen in years.

Sunny and still, 68.
Fantastic Painted Lady show on Aster and Verbena

Seen at the Home Depot.

Warmer than normal for this time of year, pretty dry conditions leave little in the way of nectar plants for butterflies. Most of these were observed on zinnias. Also saw a Clouded Sulphur on Oct. 20.

it was partly sunny 60F. we are having a warm spell after a week of cold and a couple days with snow. i was surprised to see any butterflies. especially at this elevation, 8,300 feet.

Clouds of Monarch’s from early AM going all day. Picture is Mexican Sage with over 2 dozen Monarch’s with some Ladies on it taken about 9 AM. First Monarch’s seen about 7:30AM. (Lots of images & video taken today in the yard.)

Average temperature of 65 with wind around 8 mph. I was out from 10:42 - 1:40.

from 11:20 to 15:30

Cloudless Sulphur was a fly by and only flew around my massive amount of Cannas and continued NORTH.

Our long-awaited Fiery Skipper(s)—one male and one female—finally showed up, but we were gobsmacked to see a fresh Juniper Hairstreak, a North Jersey late date by more than a month. Also, one of the Giant Swallowtails we were overwintering eclosed this morning—so the others went into the fridge! Our late-flowering ‘Hella Lacey’ cultivar of NE Aster is a great attractant, and the remaining Brazilian Verbenas are also still producing nectar.

70 degrees and sunny. SW winds at 12mph. Not much flying, but I did spot a monarch at the very end around 3 p.m.

67 degrees and sunny. SW winds at 12mph. Not too much flying today.

Pipevine Swallowtail was fresh

Easter Comma rescued from netting over some garden plants

warm and sunny
Observed in backyard 3 hrs 9-12

Only two major nectar sources left here now; Mexican Sunflower and Verbena bonariensis. We had a light frost and temps dipped below freezing on Tuesday morning, ending many other feed sources.

9:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., 76 - 89 degrees, sunny all day, light breezes. Many nectar plants. This report is what I saw and what others reported today. There are two crackers present and one is Gray - other probably Gray also.

This is the latest that I have ever seen a White M Hairstreak.

Sunny, high in the upper 70s.

Great sunny weather temp’s mid 70’s with winds 5-7 MPH. Many skippers have returned from wherever they were hiding. Excited to find a Long-tailed Skipper in the backyard after an absence of 16 days. Many Ocola’s in the yard. Monarch number’s down but still high. FOY Eastern Comma’s for me also. Digital images of all.

Highlights from today among the Painted Ladies, buckeyes, Monarchs, Orange Sulphurs and cabbages: 71 degrees, sunny. The Cloudless Sulphur was nectaring, its hind wings were worn/ragged, and it had a weak low flight until chased by an Orange Sulphur, which afforded a nice visual contrast in size and color.

This is just a block or so from where I saw a fresh cloudless in early Sept, wondering if it could be the same individual.

Sunny 70

The 7 Painted Ladies made a personal high day count for Albemarle County. 11:45 – 15:30 EDT, mostly sunny, 71-79 deg F, wind calm, thickening cirrus after 15:00.

temps in the upper 70’s to low 80’s with scattered showers. We have had no cold weather yet and the Appalachian Browns and Duke’s Skippers were fresh, suggesting recent eclosion

Partly Cloudy
Easterly wind
10 - 15 mph
mid 80s

Another wonderful day here 70’s, winds 5-7 MPH. Counted 67 Monarch’s in the AM with more arriving. 2PM another Monarch count, stopped at 87 and there were many more. I have great video of between 3-4 dozen Monarch’s nectaring on Tropical Milkweed. Roosts in the evening on most of the Red Canna blossoms in the front side yard and some in the back yard Cherry tree. I did teaching throughout the afternoon when groups of people stopped by and asked about the butterflies. Some of them here for 2 hrs. Did not see the Long-tailed Skipper but not really able to look well though he had been out and seen easily 10/20.

.Also saw 2 Viceroys at nearby Florence Comm Gdn.
17 species is unusual this late in the season.
Weather was warm 75 and sunny

Low 80’s today, sunny and mild breeze

Seen in the bird sanctuary.

Sunny, temperature 43-48 degrees.

Happy to see the Western Pygmy Blue. It’s the first one I’ve seen here since last summer’s wildfire.

“New additions” vs yesterday’s butterflies at this spot; this Cloudless Sulphur was bright and fresh and fast. Definitely not the one seen yesterday. Plenty of Monarchs, buckeyes, Painted Ladies today; more Monarchs then previous few days.

Sunny upper 70’s no wind

Monarchs were in a long line.
First sighting by this observer of Buckeye in this park (not previously reported).

8:00am - 1:06pm. Walked approx. 1.75 miles, also drove Edmonds Lane with stops. Walked Visitor Center area, Boston Mill Rd., the Walnut Grove and part of the entrance road. I birded and butterflied Edmonds Lane before and afterward. Also butterflied Visitor Center area afterward. Weather - Sunny with some fog at start, 49F. Turned mostly sunny, S wind 0 - 10. 73F at end.
Also on white female sulphur, anglewing sp., and a lady sp.