Last Saturday when the sun finally broke through the clouds and the temperature soared to 68 degrees, I jumped into my car and drove to the Coronado Butterfly Preserve in Goleta. It meant the Monarchs would be leaving their clusters. They refuse to fly in cold weather!
Thousands upon thousands of these beautiful creatures "overwinter" in this tiny grove of Eucalyptus trees. Our temperate climate, along with an ample supply of water and nectar, makes it a perfect habitat for them. Thankfully, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County has preserved this site for their use. The butterflies begin to arrive in October and don't leave until the Spring when it is once again warm enough to migrate east toward the Rocky Mountains.
I walked the well-maintained trail to the grove and found a log to sit on. I looked up and watched the show. A few brave butterflies left their clusters and then more and more until the whole sky was one giant canopy of orange Monarchs. This is nature at its most glorious. Pure magic!
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