Monarch Butterflies at Santa Cruz

10 January, 2009 by Adam R. Paul

On Thanksgiving Day, Sarah, my new parents-in-law and brother-, sister-, and niece-in-law went to Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz to see if the wintering Monarch Butterflies were present.

Monarch Butterflies by you.

Unlike most of my other trips to this lovely beach, there were actually a good number of monarchs – yay!

Monarch Butterflies by you.

There were a lot of folks strolling the boardwalk path that leads to the butterfly grove, and a park naturalist had a spotting scope set up so folks could look at the clusters up-close.

Monarch Butterflies by you.

Conditions were perfect, the sun having just come out after the previous day’s rain, so the monarchs were spreading their wings and flying around once dry.

Monarch Butterflies by you.

Sarah was especially happy that the butterflies were here, as despite a half-dozen mid-winter visits over the years, this was the first time she’d seen the grove. It’s pretty impressive once you realize that the leaf-like clumps are in fact hundreds of butterflies!

Posted in Nature, Photography | 17 Comments

17 Responses

on 10 January, 2009 at 13:27 | Reply Jennifer Schlick

Wow! I would so love to get to a spot where I could see the monarchs! (Did you notice if any of them were tagged?)
on 10 January, 2009 at 14:52 | Reply Louise

Just amazing.
on 10 January, 2009 at 15:07 | Reply Phil

I live down the coast from you…when do the Monarchs do their costal migration? I’ve never gone Monarch hunting, and yet it’s so local. Something I should do with the fambly.

Also, it’s interesting that they like eucalyptus trees so well, seeing that eucs aren’t native.
on 10 January, 2009 at 15:31 | Reply Red

It was a beautiful day for that! I see all the blue sky in the third picture.

I’m glad you posted those They look great hanging on all that eucalyptus.
on 10 January, 2009 at 16:28 | Reply Adam R. Paul

Jennifer: They’re much fun to watch. I didn’t notice any tagged ones, but I didn’t have bins w/me. I wasn’t aware that they get tagged – must be some might small/light tags!

Louise: Thanks

Phil: December is probably the best month – they’re present at both Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, and the Monarch Grove in Pacific Grove from ~Nov-Feb, but it really depends on the weather. A big storm and they’re gone. If you live near Santa Cruz or Pacific Grove, there’s no harm in checking now

Red: Thank you!
on 10 January, 2009 at 21:11 | Reply scienceguy288

They passed through where I live about ten years back on their migration. Absolutely amazing to see them in such great numbers.
on 11 January, 2009 at 09:33 | Reply montucky

Great! That’s something I would love to see!
on 12 January, 2009 at 09:59 | Reply Mary Carlson

Natural Bridges should be the next place Red and I should visit. We were quite impressed with all the monarchs we saw in Pacific Grove. As for tags, I think they are little white stickers that are placed on one of their wings. So it wouldn’t be too difficult to see them as long as the monarchs would have their wings open. Personally, I’m so enthralled with the “big picture” that I don’t think to look at single individuals! ;o) Thanks for posting your Natural Bridges find, Adam.
on 12 January, 2009 at 14:50 | Reply Donald Kinney

Well, Adam, I’ve got to give you high marks for that photo of all those Monarchs…

I grew up in Pacific Grove (oh so many years ago), just across the bay from Santa Cruz… Pacific Grove has been calling itself “Butterfly Town, USA” for so long that some people mistakenly think that Pacific Grove is the only place the Monarchs migrate to… Oh well, it gives P.G. (as the locals call it) an excuse to put on the annual Butterfly Parade, where all the schoolchildren make a big loop around town in their butterfly costumes…

Thanks for the trip down memory lane…
on 13 January, 2009 at 20:12 | Reply mon@rch

Love your monarch’s
on 14 January, 2009 at 22:43 | Reply Adam R. Paul

Scienceguy: Yes, they’re quite a sight to behold!

Montucky: Well I think you’ll have to come to the Monterey Bay Area some winter, then

Mary: Definitely check it out – it’s close to SJ, and even if the butterflies are not there, it’s a lovely beach, and if you go at low tide, the tidepooling is pretty good. A few miles north, Wilder Ranch State Park had miles and miles of beautiful coastal bluff trails, also highly recommended.

Donald: One of these years I’ll have to try to catch the PG grove when it’s populated. It’s 90 minutes farther away from home, though, so Santa Cruz is our default. The Butterfly Parade sounds cute.

Mon@rch: Well, you would
on 16 January, 2009 at 06:47 | Reply Thomas

I m speechless, that’s an incredible. So many Monarchs in one place.

You really scored on this one.
on 19 January, 2009 at 11:03 | Reply Adam R. Paul

Glad you enjoyed it, Thomas!
on 23 February, 2009 at 04:19 | Reply Sharron Lea

How amazing to see such a profusion of butterflies in December.

Thanks for letting us see wildlife in warmer climes.
- on 23 February, 2009 at 09:07 | Reply Adam R. Paul
  
  Thanks, and welcome, Sharron! It’s quite a sight to be sure.
on 21 April, 2009 at 21:39 | Reply Soon to be

I’m so glad that I found this. I was just telling my boyfriend about this place and look it here. I was able to show him some pics! Thanks
- on 22 April, 2009 at 12:41 | Reply Adam R. Paul
  
  You’re welcome, and thanks for dropping by!