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Date: 5/19/26 9:00 pm From: Suzanne Kent <surreykent...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Butterfly erruption.
Today I identified 2 California Tortoiseshell butterflies in my Westside Santa Cruz yard, nectaring on a (non-native) butterfly bush. I’m very aware of butterflies and plant host plants of various kinds, but I have never seen this species before, even though I have large ceanothus shrubs in my yard. I agree with Ryan - I was astonished to recently observe the ceanothus mass growth in the CZU burn areas - especially Ceanothus thyrsiflorus (Blueblossom). > On May 19, 2026, at 3:23 PM, Ryan Phillips <norcalbirding...> wrote: > > Between Lexington Res and the Summit on Highway 17 it is popping with Tortoiseshells! What an event that I cannot recall a magnitude like this in the Santa Cruz Mountains during my 47 years (my entire life, ha) in the SCM. > > Today while driving HWY 17 there was section where we were stopped and to my surprise (of shear number) along the median there were thousands of dead ones. I never thought about a HWY impacting butterflies in volume like that. But many are low flying and it makes sense. > > It must be a result of the massive fires years ago where ceanothus (host plant) has now taken over in mass in the burn areas. > > Get out and experience this. Who knows when we will see something like this again. > Ryan > > Ryan Phillips ǀ Owner and Guide > Personal and Group Birding Excursions in Northern California and Beyond > > Phone ǀ (831) 234-7324 > Email ǀ <norcalbirding...> <mailto:<norcalbirding...> > Website ǀ www.norcalbirding.com <http://www.norcalbirding.com/> > Facebook ǀ www.facebook.com/norcalbirding <http://www.facebook.com/norcalbirding> > > "Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?" > - Sir David Attenborough > > > > > On Tue, May 19, 2026, 3:16 PM Chris Soriano <soriano151...> <mailto:<soriano151...>> wrote: > I went to Mount Umunuhm yesterday to look for birds and saw literally thousands of maybe about a dozen different species of butterflies. I had to drive 5 mph up the road because they were literally covering the entire road. I did see ash-throated flycatchers in a few spots, that was fun. Also a baby mountain lion, but no mama mountain lion (fortunately). > > On Tue, May 19, 2026 at 3:07 PM Cliff Bixler <clifford.bixler50...> <mailto:<clifford.bixler50...>> wrote: > We have thousands of California Tortise Shell butterflies here. They are erruptive and we have never had an outbreak like this in 30 some years. They happen every 8 years or so I am told. > Cliff Bixler > Bonny Doon > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>. > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/CAM-pbfxvBeGCbCrBKt8SzqKTQ8dLrM6FhqLZ%<3DVGWPdwCOT8WSw...> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/CAM-pbfxvBeGCbCrBKt8SzqKTQ8dLrM6FhqLZ%<3DVGWPdwCOT8WSw...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>. > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<CAHCdUzVngWusjhQFSo6fraQtjEyTPpsJtD7LPj3Eu3Qr2xMrYA...> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<CAHCdUzVngWusjhQFSo6fraQtjEyTPpsJtD7LPj3Eu3Qr2xMrYA...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>. > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<CAGiyp6W5yGbGwQ9kx07NiVgcKfmOSaYB1s3qo1rvT1VFu5_60w...> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<CAGiyp6W5yGbGwQ9kx07NiVgcKfmOSaYB1s3qo1rvT1VFu5_60w...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<8D723E6C-0361-4A3A-9458-24A9026E6385...>

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