Magical Monarchs: A Week In Mexico, March 2005 |
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BUTTERFLIES II: CERRO PELON |
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On our second day we visited
another sanctuary at Cerro Pelon. This one was a longer ride
up steep wooded slopes
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As we got to the top of the
ridge, wildflowers as tall as our shoulders appeared
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After the ride, there was a short
walk up to the top of the slope to the oyamel firs
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This sanctuary had more light and
the butterflies were clustered at the edges and tops of the branches
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Once again, they covered the
branches like animate flowers
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They were quite close and
sometimes flew right past us
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Once again, on an invisible
signal, thousands of butterflies took off in one large rush
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There were so many that they
surrounded us and darkened the sky above us
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Many of them settled on the
ground or on the yellow and purple wildflowers
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We sat and enjoyed the spectacle
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Chuck, as always, took careful
notes of what he was seeing
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Others, like Suzanne and Eric, just enjoyed the moments together | ||||
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Some of our companions had a
chance to really get up close and personal with these amazing
creatures
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Sunni, Margaret, and Mary joined
the rest of us in enjoying the quiet places and the activities of
the butterflies
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Then it was back to the horses
for the long ride down
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