Monarchs at TTOR's World's End

After a harrowing ride with lots of lane changes and high speed, we arrived at World's End in Hingham.  I was not quite as relaxed as I am when I drive/hike on my own, thanks to George being my chauffeur!

I was hoping to see a late-season Juniper Hairstreak, but it was not to be.  (I feel like I write this a lot.  What I hope to see vs. what I do see.)  

There were a lot of boaters anchored just off the coast and kayakers moving among them, so it wasn't as quiet and calm as some times when I have hiked here.  Of course, everyone was out enjoying a beautiful summer day!

Look at those eyes!

Last year, maybe about a week earlier, there were at least a dozen Juniper Hairstreaks in this stand of Queen Anne's Lace.  This year, there were lots of bees and wasps, a couple Peck's Skippers and a Tachinid Fly.  No junipers....

Tachinid Fly

Zabulon Skipper (I think)

Orange Sulphur

Monarch

(Right on the trail ~~ but what are those strange pale circles?)

Turtlehead, a lovely native plant

Wild Turkeys in one of the meadows

Eastern Bluebird

Monarchs (mating)

In this photograph, the monarchs are high in the tree and barely visible from the ground.  I would never have known they were there if they hadn't taken flight near the ground where we were walking.  We followed their flight up into the trees, and I was able to zoom in on them for a photo after they landed.

Egret

We saw this egret on the far side of the water as we crossed the bridge back to the entrance gate and returned to the parking area.  All in all, we only walked about 2.5 miles, but it was a beautiful day and a beautiful hike.