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April 2025

April brought a vibrant display of wildlife and plant life from across the region. In Newbury, Massachusetts, Karen Suhrhoff photographed a black-crowned night heron. In Pomfret, Connecticut, Nate Rosebrooks discovered toadshade trilliums growing outside their typical range. And in Dalton, New Hampshire, Sandy Miklas Dannis captured an unfurling maidenhair fern.

We’re looking for May 2025 photos that relate to northeastern forests. Readers may submit up to three photos for consideration.

May Gallery Submission Deadline: Saturday, May 31, 2025. This gallery appears in our bi-weekly e-newsletter. Sign up here!

This gallery is made possible through generous support from R. Timothy Larsen / Larsen Fund.

Bluebirds in flight Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Bluebird off to get nest building materials. On April 30 mom was sitting on eggs.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Trillium Photo: Audrey Barker Plotkin
Amherst, MA. “Ant’s eye view of the forest canopy (Trillium erectum from ground looking up!).” | Photo: Audrey Barker Plotkin
Common green darner Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Another spring migrant, a common green darner dragonfly.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Sparrow Photo: Alice Webb
Worcester, MA. “This chipping sparrow (who recently migrated from the south) experiences an April snowfall.” | Photo: Alice Webb
Fern Photo: Tammis Coffin
Sheffield, MA. “Catching the light at the end of an April day — Christmas fern unrolling.” | Photo: Tammis Coffin
Shelterwood forest Photo: Alex Barrett
Deerfield, MA. “April is back-to-the-woods month! Foresters checking in on a shelterwood harvest in oak and pine.” | Photo: Alex Barrett
Red back salamander Photo: Conrad Georgian
Sharon, MA. “A red-backed salamander peeking out of a log in my back yard.” | Photo: Conrad Georgian
Maidenhair fern Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Tiny maidenhair fern (Adiantum) fiddlehead unfurls in a rich mesic forest.” | Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Mayflower Photo: Carolyn Wheeler
Shelburne Falls, MA. “Epigaea repens (trailing arbutus) mayflowers. Old family letters show evidence of mayflowers growing on our hillside since 1901!” | Photo: Carolyn Wheeler
Eastern comma Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “Eastern comma butterfly out on a warm April 4th. There are two broods of these butterflies each year, the second brood (this one) overwinters as an adult in a hollow tree.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Hepatica Photo: Prudence Wholey
South Shelburne, MA. “Hepatica on a sunny afternoon.” | Photo: Prudence Wholey
Owl Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A barred owl perched over a vernal pool.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Goose nest Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “Comfortable looking goose egg nest.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Beaver tree Photo: Jacquelyn Wilson
North Woodstock, NH. “In honor of national haiku poetry day (April 17, 2025) and spring: teeth marks glistening / life flows and dies around us / like sap from the tree.” | Photo: Jacquelyn Wilson
Blood root Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Bloodroot in bloom at Niquette Bay State Park.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Spider and pollinator Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Circle of life...flower crab spider catches pollinator.” | Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Great blue heron Photo: Gabriella Marchesani
Derby, VT. “Great blue heron kicking through water.” | Photo: Gabriella Marchesani
Sunset colors Photo: Leif Tillotson
Highgate Springs, VT. Colorful sunset. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Mushroom log Photo: Louise Mahar
Bradford, VT. “A beautiful conglomeration of mushrooms growing on a log.” | Photo: Louise Mahar
Ferns Photo: Joyce Layne
Lovell, ME. “Ferns in a huddle.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
Night heron Photo: Karen Suhrhoff
Newbury, MA. “Black-crowned night heron.” | Photo: Karen Suhrhoff
Shelterwood harvest Photo: Alex Barrett
Chesterfield, NH. “A shelterwood harvest, four years out, with vigorous white pine in the overstory.” | Photo: Alex Barrett
Palm warbler Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “The first spring warbler to show up in 2025, a palm warbler.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Snowy beaver pond Photo: Debra Clough
Grafton, NH. “Beaver pond on a misty snow morn.” | Photo: Debra Clough
Garter snake Photo: Conrad Georgian
Sharon, MA. “First garter snake found under a rock.” | Photo: Conrad Georgian
Purple hepatica Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Hepatica - my first of the year on April 15! There were several clumps of Hepatica in all different colors at Niquette Bay State Park (my favorite place to see spring wildflowers).” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Hermit thrush Photo: Karen Suhrhoff
Biddeford Pool, ME. “Hermit thrush.” | Photo: Karen Suhrhoff
Icy branches Photo: Leif Tillotson
Alburgh, VT. Icy branches. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Toadshade trillium Photo: Nate Rosebrooks
Pomfret, CT. “A toadshade trillium in CT. These are supposed to be from Western NY to Illinois. Part of a small group here in Connecticut.” | Photo: Nate Rosebrooks
Tom turkey Photo: Paul F. Noel
Irasburg, VT. “Spotted this Tom carefully keeping an eye out looking over his hens.” | Photo: Paul F. Noel
Redwing blackbird Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A female redwing blackbird.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Hunting hawk Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Broad-winged hawk hunts over farm pond at end of day.” | Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dwarf ginseng Photo: Sharon Bombard
Lee, MA. “Dwarf ginseng blooming in Basin Pond Preserve.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Eastern larch Photo: Stephen McElwee
Mifflinburg, PA. “Eastern larch at Raymond B. Winter State Park.” | Photo: Stephen McElwee
Trout lilies Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “Trout lilies blooming brightly in the third week of April.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Common loon Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Trout Run, PA. “The common loons are headed north.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Quaking aspen Photo: Gabriella Marchesani
Derby, VT. “Quaking aspen budding.” | Photo: Gabriella Marchesani
Turtle Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “First painted turtle of the season!” | Photo: Richard Philben
Wood frog Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bolton, VT. “Wood frog in early April.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Wildflower Photo: Karen Stocker
Hampton, CT. “Wildflower growing at Trail Wood Sanctuary.” | Photo: Karen Stocker
Duck bathing Photo: Matthew DeLuca
Boston, MA. “Getting ready for a bath at the Arnold Arboretum.” | Photo: Matthew DeLuca
Painted turtles Photo: Karen Suhrhoff
Kennebunkport, ME. “Painted turtles.” | Photo: Karen Suhrhoff

Submit Your Photos to the Reader Gallery

We’re always thrilled to see what’s happening in the Northeast through your eyes. Each season, we feature approximately 50 reader-submitted images in our online gallery. To be considered, please send us photos taken within the past month.

You may submit up to three photos per person. While we can’t publish every submission, we carefully consider each one.

When reviewing submissions, we look for:

  • A variety of topics and subjects
  • High-quality, well-composed images
  • Good resolution (prefer images at least 1000 pixels on the longer edge)
  • Geographic diversity across the region

Before submitting, please read and agree to the terms and conditions below. These give Northern Woodlands a perpetual license to use your photographs. If your image isn’t selected for the gallery but we’d like to feature it elsewhere, we’ll reach out to you.

Having trouble submitting? You can also email your photo(s) and caption(s) to: Nancy (at) northernwoodlands.org. Please use the subject line: Reader Photo Submission. And don’t forget to confirm in your email that you’ve read and agreed to our terms and conditions.

By checking the box above, you are agreeing to our Reader Photo Gallery Terms and Conditions.