Paul and others, I actually made a good part of the Oklahoma circuit that Paul made this past Sunday. I did see Monarchs, and have been seeing them in modest numbers for the past three weeks or so. But the numbers are fewer than prior years. I never saw more than a half dozen or so at any one time, whereas in other years I usually see a couple of dozen pass by at intervals, and sometimes will see many tens in low valleys. I also saw flowers, probably some of the actual patches that Paul saw, as I was at Enid, Nash, Jet, Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, Cherokee, places Paul visited. Whereas in normal years Polygonum (smartweed), the "unidentified flower" Paul saw, is abundant in the more moist pastures and open bottomland, it was only in linear swaths along ditches. I saw no tall asters, usually one of our more important fall composites, and a favorite butterfly plant. I saw very limited Maximilian sunflowers compared to typical years, and this is also an importa! nt fall composite and favorite for butterflies. The refuge was dried out in the extreme, with the reservoir only holding water in the central area. I did see Monarchs puddling on damp, saline soil and around some partially decomposed fish carcasses in the reservoir proper. The marsh on the north end of the reservoir, a favorite area for migrating cranes and waterfowl, was simply dried out completely, and the streams that normally flow into it were dry.
Looking at rainfall records for the year, Texas is a lot drier than we are, in terms of fraction of average rainfall. I agree completely with the poster who said that such observations as mine and Paul's prove nothing except what we saw (or didn't see) at the specific places we looked. Butterflies Paul and I did not see may have been elsewhere. Paul saw the flowers he saw. I saw those I saw. There were no flowers in some fields where I usually see them this time of year. Simple, uncoordinated, non-systematic, non-experimental observations. Hoping for the best. David McNeely ---- Paul Cherubini <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for your observations, David. > > Here's an eyewitness account of how the migrating > monarchs are still able to findnectar in drought plagued > south-central Texas: > > http://www.learner.org/cgi-bin/jnorth/jn-query-byday?1317405754 > > "Observed on Gentry Creek ten miles north of Junction, TX. I > counted approximately 200 Monarchs feeding on blooming > plants along creek banks in one area. Some were roosting. > In another area on the creek I counted approximately 300 > Monarchs feeding and roosting on native Pecan leaves. > Both of the areas have been traditional roosts in the past > years. Last year there were none, so this is encouraging. > Blooming plants include: Salvia farinacea, Goldenrod, > Mullen, Frostweed, Smooth Bidens, Buttonbush. Our > area is in an extreme drought, but these plants are > along the creek banks." Judy Hall, Junction, TX > > Paul Cherubini > > On Sep 29, 2011, at 6:05 PM, David L. McNeely wrote: > > > Paul and others, > > > > I live in central Oklahoma. The photos you show look like the > > isolated patches of bloom that I see around. Maximilian sunflower > > should be at its peak right now. Instead, I see only scattered > > groups of a few plants, versus the acres of fields and right of way > > normally covered in yellow in late September. Snow on the Mountain > > (a euphorb) should also have extensive stands of blooming plants. > > Again, scattered. There are almost no fields of broomweed in > > bloom, one of the most drought tolerant late composites. Little > > ironweed is blooming, and little goldenrod compared to normal > > years. I can find patches of all these, but not the extensive > > fields. On my own property, I have a large patch of goldenrod, and > > lots of common and Maximilian sunflowers. Partridge pea as well. > > All should be at peak right now. Instead, I have isolated plants > > with flowers, others seem very late or simply have begun to wilt > > without the heads opening. Common sunflowers are dwarfed compared > > to norm! > > > > al years, so many fewer flower heads. My Liatris (gayfeather), an > > important late composite, simply failed to emerge from the ground. > > I hope the corms are alive. > > > > David McNeely, Edmond, Oklahoma -- David McNeely
