From late October through February, tens of thousands of monarch butterflies can be found overwintering at the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove in central California. They are part of one of nature’s great migrations as they make their way down from Canada. Butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains spend their winters at many locations along the California coast, while those east of the Rockies migrate all the way down to Mexico. At night, the butterflies cluster on tree branches and look like leaves. It’s only when the sun starts to warm up that they open their wings and begin to fly around. The first time I visited the grove I didn’t notice the butterflies at first, mistaking them for bunches of leaves. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/10 at 1/800th of a second
Beautiful, Monarch butterflies are one of my most loved creatures. I am actively encouraging them with many ‘Swan Plants’ growing in my garden. I have become a friend to the monarchs and yesterday one flew close to my head and landed on a plant a few inches from me and laid an egg. Not content with that, she returned about two minutes later and did exactly the same thing.
I have been taking macro shots of the caterpillars and chrysalises.
Great shot Sean
Always amazing that such fragile looking creature can do that incredible mileage.
As a child I always remember one of our cats(a real ‘Killler’- we had to put several Bells on her collar) trying to catch a Monarch on the front lawn.
You would think that cats have such incredible ‘motor’ control that they can catch anything but the Monarch lead her a merry dance for quite some time before flying off undamaged.
That’s ‘Random Flight’ as good as it gets.
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Nature’s garland hangs—- a wreath of victor’s laurel—-journey to denote.
Peter, you’ve been on fire this week.
Beautiful, Monarch butterflies are one of my most loved creatures. I am actively encouraging them with many ‘Swan Plants’ growing in my garden. I have become a friend to the monarchs and yesterday one flew close to my head and landed on a plant a few inches from me and laid an egg. Not content with that, she returned about two minutes later and did exactly the same thing.
I have been taking macro shots of the caterpillars and chrysalises.
Great shot Sean
Sounds cool Lawrie. I wish I lived somewhere where I could photograph creatures other than pigeons and rats.
Wow, I’ve never seen anything like it!
I think we all needed this today. Warm, bright and beautiful.
That’s just beautiful.
Always amazing that such fragile looking creature can do that incredible mileage.
As a child I always remember one of our cats(a real ‘Killler’- we had to put several Bells on her collar) trying to catch a Monarch on the front lawn.
You would think that cats have such incredible ‘motor’ control that they can catch anything but the Monarch lead her a merry dance for quite some time before flying off undamaged.
That’s ‘Random Flight’ as good as it gets.