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Monarch Trio


Monarch Trio
Photo Information
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3068 W: 231 N: 6168] (21078)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-10-21
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): 40 - 49 points (Chapter 10) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-14 1:51
Viewed: 1137
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 41
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
It's that time of the year. The Monarchs have returned. At the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, these valiant little migrators gather in a grove of eucalyptus trees. To protect them, barricades keep visitors about 15 meters away. The light conditions were very poor when I was there, and the butterflies were not open. But it was still a spectacular sight.

Camera hand-held with strong breeze blowing.

The Return of the Monarchs

Many hundreds of thousands of Monarch Butterflies fly 2,500 miles in an arduous one month journey to arrive in Pacific Grove each fall with a great purpose.
These fragile little critters flew 100 miles every day, stopping at night near flowers. In the mornings they fueled up on nectar, and took off south for another 100 mile leg of their incredible flight to California. For nearly a month, day after day, they continued their pilgrimage and their last leg was an incredible one-day flap over open sea across Monterey Bay.


Now these delicate little golden flutterers are about to consummate their achievement. But, first they must rest before they begin the regeneration of their amazing five generation annual life cycle. They hang in clusters until the weather is warm enough to fly, above 50 oF. Colder than that, and their wings get too brittle, and they can't fly. Then they move around to eat nectar from trees and other plants.

In Pacific Grove, Santa Cruz and a dozen other coastal areas, where there are ancestral groves for their wintering, the Monarchs build up their strength for the big event. In March when milkweed appears, the Monarchs begin a marvelous ritual, the crowing achievement of their great journey.

They mate and the females lay their eggs.

When the new Monarch is strong enough to fly, it goes north to repeat the mating cycle. Four short (one-month) generations of Monarchs fly north (like a relay race) until the fourth generation reaches the last milkweed of autumn in Canada.

Then the fifth generation, the long-living (8 month) butterfly is born in Canada in late summer, and immediately migrates south to sanctuaries in California. About 65,000 come to Pacific Grove.

Source
SelenE, elefantino, jcoowanitwong, Alex99, horia, tinman, SkyF, Signal-Womb, Dave, ramthakur, nainnain, dew77, Viera, cicindela has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Manyee, excellent composition with great colors and details.
Andrea

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2006-11-14 2:01]

Hi Manyee,
It is a very artistic composition. The butterflies are so beautiful,I liked the framing and the colors a lot. TFS
Selen

Hi Manyee,
Artitistically splendid capture of this monarch trio. Crisp and sharp in vivid colors. tfs
Czaldy

Hello Manyee,
Excellent picture from 15 meters away and handheld. I like this pov. Also a revealing story of the migration. TFS.
JC

  • Great 
  • ridfa Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 89 W: 0 N: 376] (4111)
  • [2006-11-14 3:32]

Très beau Manyee. La composition est excellente. Bravo. Merci pour le partage.

Farid

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3604 W: 143 N: 5699] (18633)
  • [2006-11-14 5:28]

Hi Manyee.
What a colourful nice picture with such interesting scene. Excellent lights and darks, saturation and exposure, amazing butterfly row, perfect note. My compliments and TFS.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2175 W: 221 N: 4385] (14914)
  • [2006-11-14 5:30]

Hi Manyee
WOW! 3 in a line! :)) Fantastic capture!
I'm sure from what i've seen on tv that the atmosphere there around so many Monarchs is simply impressive!
Anyway, this is also a very impressive capture!
The quality is very good, as well, especially considering the harsh conditions - light, wind...
The POV is really greatm the colors are superb and very well saturated and the DOF is impecable, isolating them frim a blurred BG.
Graet work!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Nice picture, nice colours, the butterfly are beautiful and the composition are perfect!!!!

Great composition and lighting, great post

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-11-14 8:55]

Hello Manyee,
what a lovely composition, this trio looks fabulous. Great colors, excellent sharpness and a wonderful presentation.
Sky

Great composition, very nice bg. bravo

Hello Manyee, three for one, very nice. I love your composition and the BG colour is very striking. Unfortunately the image is soft for me which is why I deduct a point. Regards Steve.

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
  • [2006-11-14 11:35]

Wow Manyee!

Looks like they are playing follow the leader. Beautiful composition! Artfully done and very nice!

Thanks,

Dave

Selective string from your Monarch series, Manyee.
Very artistic composition.
TFS.

bonsoir
tres jolie composition de ces trois papillons , belles couleurs nettes, bon BG
bravo et merci du partage
edith

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-11-14 13:51]

Hello Manyee,
Magnificent capture.Well seen and composed.POV,warm colors of simple BG,lighting,framing and visual impact are wonderful.Excellent work!
TFS...:-)

Bravo pour cette composition Manyee, un très bon travail: couleurs, lumière, cadrage.
Roland

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-11-14 15:59]

Wonderful shot with all three in a line. Great colours and excellent focus across the 3. Good DOF

TFS

Karan

A gorgeous shot! Perfect in its simplicity.
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • reina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 260 W: 1 N: 328] (2024)
  • [2006-12-24 16:42]

Hi Manyee, an artistic shot these three monarchs. Great compostion, good background blur.
best christmas wishes to you.
Reina

  • Great 
  • Viera Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 82 W: 0 N: 72] (488)
  • [2006-12-29 3:37]

Hi Manyee,
what a beautiful photo.Amazing colours and interesting moment.I like this photo from all sides.The butterflies are looking very good on that background.And thanks for welcoming me on TN!
Regards,
Viera

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