Vanessa at night - migrations

[Eddie John]

Hi Paul
 
Not contradictory at all.  I had earlier mentioned that fresh waves of V. cardui were seen crossing the island on several days.  All observers noted a dramatic decline in numbers by mid-afternoon, so those migrants that remained from that days passage became insignificant in number.  Yet the following morning very large numbers were once again observed.  The figures really cannot be ignored: typically as many as 75 per minute (over a 25 m front) were seen in full migratory flight at 08.00 hrs, falling to about 3 per minute some five hours, or so, later.
 
This will be my last contribution on the subject, otherwise I can anticipate being asked whether a cruise ship from Israel docked in Cyprus at the same time!  We will just have to agree to differ!
 
Eddie
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Paul Cherubini <monarch at saber.net>
    To: Leps-l at lists.yale.edu <Leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
    Date: 04 February 2002 00:40
    Subject: Re: Vanessa at night - migrations
    
    
    Eddie John wrote:
    
    > Those that arrived in Cyprus in late afternoon were 
    > seen to settle for the night
    
    and then on the other hand you wrote:
    
    > the migrants were not present the previous evenings
    
    This seems contradictory.  
    
    You also wrote:
    
    > Observers (human)  were indeed placed close to 
    > the southern shores but not, I am sorry to say, close
    > enough to witness flight over open water. 
    
    Therefore, I propose an alternative explanation - that 
    the human observers "close to the southern shores" (but not
    actually on the shores) just saw the previous days' migrants 
    in the southern shore area waking up from sleep and
    beginning their northward journey at dawn.
    
    > Nor were any pictures or videos made - but, then, 
    > the discussion is about night-time flight:-)
    
    Next time rent a little boat and take pictures of the
    migrants arriving over open water at dawn (if indeed
    this really happens). Or at least take pictures or make
    binocular observations from a southern wharf or beach.
    An ordinary digital still or video camera takes good
    pictures in low light.  I'll post one myself this evening
    20 minutes after sunset.
    
    Paul Cherubini
    Placerville, California
    
    
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