More harbingers of fall

Today while I was out at the Miners Castle Overlook talking to people about the bald eagle that was once again perched in the tallest pine tree just opposite us, I noticed a monarch butterfly fly past. A few minutes later, I saw another one. And then another! I didn't see any more until I went to go have lunch. Across from the visitor center, along the path that cuts across to the far end of the parking lot, there are a bunch of purple flowers blooming. And they were covered with dozens of monarch butterflies.

I looked up the flowers - they're sweet joe pye weed. And apparently they're very tasty. They were being totally mobbed by butterflies - mostly monarchs, but a few other types as well - and lots of bees and flies. But of course the monarchs were the main show! Apparently their migration has begun - something flipped the little switch that sends them south. From Canada. Across the entire width of Lake Superior. At its widest point. And this was the first spot they had gotten to! It was a very popular filling station and rest stop for these amazing travelers - and a perfect spot for all the human visitors to get a close look. Throughout the day, looking over, I could see a lot of people stopped there to take pictures - and I kept mentioning it to people when they came in, so they wouldn't miss it. It's truly amazing to watch - the individuals drinking nectar right at eye level, and the broader field of view alive with fluttering. This is definitely one of the wildlife highlights of my summer here at Pictured Rocks.