Monarch's Migration Height

[Dinusaur]

The other day I photographed this Broad-winged hawk soaring high up. Later I noticed a Monarch in few of the photographs at very much the same focal plane as the hawk. I was shooting with a telephoto lens with very limited depth of field, this monarch was very likely flying at the same height as the hawk. This is a heavily cropped picture. Do the Monarch butterflies fly so high up during their migration? I always thought they fluttered along at a relatively low height.

[Kris Ito]

I don't know what the reasons are, but I can tell you that I have seen Monarchs at some crazy heights while visiting the Rosetta Raptor Watch. Although we see many bobbing along the edge of the bluffs at eye level, we also see a lot way out over the lake or way up high with the raptors. It's kinda funny when you're trying to focus on an eagle and a monarch flies right into your field of view. I wonder if the height has anything to do with wind direction or thermals; or if it's as simple as just trying to avoid all those obstacles down low? I love the way your hawk seems to be looking at the butterfly! Great shot!

-kris

[Dinusaur]

Thanks Kris. After doing a bit of research online I found out that they do indeed fly quite high during migration in order take advantage of the thermals. Someone reported seeing one at 11,000 feet.