We just returned from a trip to Monterey this weekend. One of the things I really wanted to do was visit the Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove. Western monarch butterflies winter here, and also in numerous other groves along the California coast. The grove consists of a combination of Eucalyptus and Monterey Pine which provide the perfect habitat for the butterflies. They hang in these huge clusters throughout the winter months. There are only about 2000 butterflies here right now, which isn't really that many. Butterflies will continue to arrive until December. In a good year they will get about 8000; this is still magnitudes less than the eastern monarch's winter sanctuary in Mexico. That would be truly amazing to see! One word of warning before visiting here: they fence off the grove, so visitors have to look through binoculars to get a good view of the butterflies. This photo is with my 200mm lens, and even still I had to crop. This would have been a good weekend to rent that 400mm lens again!
1 comment:
amazing. thanks for taking us along with you.
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