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May 14th, 2024 Reader Photo Gallery

April 2024

Your April photos showed a profusion of spring wildflowers, from showy bloodroots to often-overlooked wild ginger. In Adams, Massachusetts, Sharon Bombard had the lucky find of an infant moth perched in a late season snow, while in Campton, New Hampshire, Elizabeth Robertson built up karmic credit points by rescuing a stranded spotted salamander. In Barnard, Vermont, Jeannie Killam encountered an early morning coyote, and check out Tom Grett’s photo of thousands of snow geese, taken in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

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This gallery is made possible through generous support from the Larsen Fund.

Hepatica Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “One of the various shades of hepatica in bloom at Niquette Bay State Park.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Nursery Spider Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Male nursery web spider.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Beaver lodge Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “Just about the tallest beaver lodge I’ve ever seen!” | Photo: Richard Philben
Wild ginger Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Morris, PA. “A spring wildflower that many people have never seen: wild ginger whose nondescript reddish-brown flower lies on the ground.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Gaywings Photo: Adrienne Scivolette
Kerhonkson, NY. “Polygaloides gaywings.” | Photo: Adrienne Scivolette
Maidenhair Photo: Anonymous
Thetford, VT. Maidenhair fern fiddlehead. | Photo: Anonymous
Tree frog Photo: Annie Maloney
Saegertown, PA. “This tree frog hung out for an afternoon Forest School session.” | Photo: Annie Maloney
Eclipse Photo: Amy Deconinck
Bridport, VT. “Witnessing totality during the solar eclipse at Dead Creek WMA.” | Photo: Amy Deconinck
Bloodroot blossoms Photo: Stephanie Erlandson
Bennington, VT. “Bloodroot flowers about to open.” | Photo: Stephanie Erlandson
Liverwort Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Liverwort sporophyte capsules.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Dutchmans Breeches Photo: Ross Lanius
Hamden, CT. “One of the earliest wildflowers I find yearly are Dutchman’s breeches as I found this year in the Sleeping Giant State Park.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Scarlet cup Photo: Bonita Choly
Pownal, VT. “A scarlet cup doing what cups do.” | Photo: Bonita Choly
Mayflower Photo: Carolyn E. Wheeler
Wheel-View Farm, Shelburne, MA. “Epigaea repens, trailing arbutus, mayflower. Old family letters reference the mayflowers here dating back to 1901.” | Photo: Carolyn E. Wheeler
Red elderberry Photo: Anonymous
Central VT. Red elderberry produces white blooms, but the opening buds are purple. | Photo: Anonymous
Moth Photo: Sharon Bombard
Adams, MA. “Found after the early April snowstorm, infant moth (Archiearis infans); member of the Geometrid family (think inchworms!) found in the birch meadow.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Yellow trout lily Photo: Stephanie Erlandson
Bennington, VT. “Yellow trout lily about to open.” | Photo: Stephanie Erlandson
Sapsucker Photo: Debra Clough
Grafton, NH. “Yellow bellied sapsucker enjoying my sugar maples.” | Photo: Debra Clough
Tree swallow Photo: Ken Hatch
Addison, Vermont. “Tree swallow at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area visitor center.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Blue cohosh Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) vegetation gives off eerie vibes.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Trailing arbutus Photo: Frederick G. Thurber
South Dartmouth, MA. “Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens).” | Photo: Frederick G. Thurber
Birdfeeder Photo: David Nallett
Keene, NH. “European starling and hairy woodpecker standoff at the suet feeder.” | Photo: David Nallett
Painted turtle Photo: Elise Tilinghast
Strafford, VT. A painted turtle basks in a beaver pond. | Photo: Elise Tilinghast
Bellwort Photo: Dawn Brooks
Richmond, MA. “Uvularia grandiflora.” Common names for this wildflower are large-flowered bellwort and merrybells. | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Trout lily Photo: Gib Geiger
Waitsfield, VT. Trout lily, with hitchhikers.” The beetle is a red-necked false blister beetle. | Photo: Gib Geiger
Black cohosh mix Photo: Geoffrey Bluh
Conway, MA. “Black cohosh plants competing with the encroaching garlic mustard near a roadside. A rite of spring now is pulling up invasives.” | Photo: Geoffrey Bluh
Wood duck Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Trout Run, PA. “Our most beautiful duck – a male wood duck.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Woodpecker Photo: David Nallett
Keene, NH. “Red bellied woodpecker at the suet feeder.” | Photo: David Nallett
Red trillium Photo: Ross Lanius
Hamden, CT. “April early wildflowers bloom in great profusion. This red trillium was with a group in the Sleeping Giant State Park.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Ostrich ferns Photo: Sheri Larsen
Essex Town, VT. “Fiddleheads (ostrich ferns) at Woodside Park along the Winooski River.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
False comma Photo: Amy Deconinck
Leicester, VT. “A Compton tortoiseshell, or false comma, pauses for this photo.” | Photo: Amy Deconinck
Ghost plant Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Ghost plant ‘rose.’” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Purple finch Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A purple finch – New Hampshire’s state bird.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Maidenhair fern Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Maidenhair fern (Adiantum) fiddleheads in a rich mesic forest.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
American robin Photo: Jen Weimer
Hillsborough, NH. “Feisty male American robin infuriated by his reflection in my window.” | Photo: Jen Weimer
Plants Photo: Geoffrey Bluh
Conway, MA. “A trout lily seen next to a scarlet elf cup fungus.” | Photo: Geoffrey Bluh
Bloodroot Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Bloodroot flowers on display at Niquette Bay State Park.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Swanton sunset Photo: Leif Tillotson
Swanton, VT. Water scene. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Spicebush blossoms Photo: Mollie Babize
Ashfield, MA. “Tiny blossoms of spicebush (Lindera benzoine). Named for the citrus-like spicy aroma from crushed leaves.” | Photo: Mollie Babize
Mergansers Photo: Michael A. Kuhni
Cherryfield, ME. “Hooded mergansers...Floating magic on Solstice Pond...Breathe & Smile.” | Photo: Michael A. Kuhni
Snow geese Photo: Tom Grett
Lancaster County, PA. “A blizzard of snow geese at Middle Creek WMA.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Trout lily Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Cornwall, NY. “Trout lily at Black Rock Forest.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Woodrings Photo: Anonymous
Central Vermont. Wood rings. | Photo: Anonymous
Sensitive fern Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “Fertile frond of sensitive fern which persisted through the winter to release the spores early this spring. According to Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America ‘Fossils of this fern dating back more than 60 million years look remarkably similar to the plants of today.’” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Painted turtles Photo: Tom Anderson
Dummerston, VT. “Painted turtles bask in the sun.” | Photo: Tom Anderson
Wake robin Photo: Sharon Bombard
Adams, MA. “The first wake-robin (red trillium) of many I found along the stream about to bloom, surrounded by the leaves of the trout-lilies to flower later.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Porcupine Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “One of the neighborhood porcupines up a tree.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Sunrise woods Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Sunrise reflections on a beaver pond.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Spring beauties Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “Spring beauties in the leaf litter at the base of an old beech tree.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Chickadee Photo: Peter Hollinger
Sharon, VT. “Black-capped chickadee.” | Photo: Peter Hollinger
Velvet mite Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Brightly colored and tiny red velvet mite (Trombidiidae) stands out as it walks across the leaf litter.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Bonfire Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “Sunset bonfire.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Ragwort Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) beginning to flower on the Wooded Loop Trail. Many thanks to the landowner Foxbard Farm in Partnership with Town of Shelburne Open Space Committee for providing and maintaining this beautiful network of trails.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Hepatica Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Cornwall, NY. “Hepatica sp. at Black Rock Forest.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Maple buds Photo: Amy Deconinck
Shoreham, VT. “Fresh snow on maple buds.” | Photo: Amy Deconinck
Bloodroot blossoms Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “Bloodroot blossom.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Rainbow Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A partial rainbow over Wheel View Farm.” | Photo: Richard Philben
White violet Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Warrensville, PA. “Northern white violet -- tiny and beautiful.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Birds at feeder Photo: Tom Grett
Lancaster County, PA. “The menu never changes: meal-worms for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Trailing arbutus Photo: Sharon Bombard
Williamstown, MA. “Trailing arbutus (mayflower) resting on a cushion of moss.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Salamander Photo: Elizabeth Robertson
Campton, NH. “Spotted salamander stranded after rainstorm – successfully ferried to safety.” | Photo: Elizabeth Robertson
Blue cohosh Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “Blue cohosh buds and blossoms in a wooded area close to home.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Coyote Photo: Jeannie Killam
Barnard, VT. “Early morning coyote.” | Photo: Jeannie Killam
Wild ginger Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Cornwall, NY. “Wild ginger at Black Rock Forest.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Goslings Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Each April for years a pair of geese have mated and the goslings hatch at the end of the month. The parents carefully shepherd the goslings when they go out for a swim. Rarely do they survive the 4 or more weeks needed to develop flight feathers.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Lily and leek Photo: Stephanie Erlandson
Bennington, VT. “Yellow trout lily with wild leek.” | Photo: Stephanie Erlandson

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