Another Walk in New Jersey

I wrote a blog in August about a walk I took in northern New Jersey. Here's another blog about a walk in New Jersey, but this time around Cape May at the end of October. The trees were turning colors around one of the ponds at Higbee Beach Wildlife Management area.  Click on the photos to enlarge. 

There were a lot of buckeye butterflies around. They are migrating now. Click here to see a previous blog about buckeye butterflies. 

Buckeyes are seasonally dimorphic; the undersides of their rear wings are tan or brown in spring but pink like this one in autumn. 

Through the woods and onto the dune path. 

To the windy beach. 

All the while migrating hawks were zipping overhead -- too fast for me to photograph, alas. 

Then a little more woods walking. 

Past a few of these south Jersey style swamps. 

In the sheltered spots there were green darner dragonflies, Anax junius.  They are migrating now, too. We can tell that this one is a male from the blue on its abdomen. 

Then there was this little metallic bee shining like gold in the sunlight. It's scientific name Augochlora pura means "pure golden green." These bees are usually green but can be coppery or gold like this one. It is one of the prettiest bees ever. 

And here is a spiffy hover fly from the genus Sphaerophoria. You would think it was still summer in some of the sunny protected corners of Cape May's fields. 

Then back to the leafy country road and home. 

There are some really pretty places in New Jersey.