A day at the Ellwood Grove with the Monarch Butterflys

I had the day off from work and I went to the Ellwood Eucalyptus Grove in the Coronado Butterfly Preserve.  It's located in Goleta above the cliffs at Ellwood Beach.  It's one of 200 over-wintering sights in coastal California for the Monarch Butterfly.  As I entered the grove I found several butterfly's in the blossoming Eucalyptus.

 

 

As I moved into the center of the grove I saw more and more butterfly's.  Click on the pictures for a larger view.

 

The open orange wings really stand out in the sunshine.  click on the picture to see a larger view and notice the thousand of butterflies that have their wings closed, they look like brown leaves.

This log is lying in a low flowing creek bed.  The Monarchs are getting a drink and warming themselves in the sun.

 

A Monarch with mustard

View from the meadow of the Ellwood Eucalyptus Grove.  The Mountains above Santa Barbara are in the background.

Black Phoebe

Savannah Sparrow

Ellwood Beach

Brown Pelican

Devereux point

This sure beats hanging out at the office.  I'm ready for another day off.