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December 2020 - Part Two

In your second gallery of December images, Peter Hollinger took a stunning macro shot of a snowflake, Tami Gingrich sought out short-eared owls, and Eric D’Aleo applied the cloud gazing game to ice, finding a hidden face and a snail’s profile. Common themes included snowy tracks, irruptive Canadian birds, and really, whatever green you could still find out there, including bright patches of moss and lichen.

View Part One of our December 2020 Reader Photo Gallery

This gallery appears in our bi-weekly e-newsletter. Sign up here!

Snowy owl Photo: Patti Covino
Williamstown, VT. “Snowy owl in Vermont.” | Photo: Patti Covino
Martin Photo: David Gomeau
Concord, ME. “Martin in beech tree at camp.” | Photo: David Gomeau
Cedar waxwing Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Hudson, NH. “Cedar waxwing and robin competing for winter berries.” | Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Snowflake Photo: Peter Hollinger
Sharon, VT. A macro shot of a snowflake. | Photo: Peter Hollinger
Lungwort lichen Photo: AM Dannis
Dalton, NH. “December thaw greens up lungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) on yellow birch in a remote stream valley.” | Photo: AM Dannis
Sapsucker Photo: Cindy Morin
Pownal, ME. Old yellow-bellied sapsucker woodpecker feeding marks on a log. | Photo: Cindy Morin
Ice forest Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Plymouth, NH. “Do you see a face trapped in the ice? Nothing more than the play of light and ice with the leaf litter of the forest floor.” | Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Winter deer Photo: Lonnie S. Jandreau
Oxbow, ME. “Winter wonder land.” | Photo: Lonnie S. Jandreau
Moss Photo: Alfred J. Sorensen
Petersham, MA. A bright mound of moss growing on a rock (obscured by pine needles). | Photo: Alfred J. Sorensen
Fungal Mycelia Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Close-up of fungal hyphae in a never-ending pursuit for their next meal in the leaf litter.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Otter tracks Photo: Frank Gorga
Antrim, NH. “Otter tracks.” | Photo: Frank Gorga
Alpenglow Photo: Terry VanVeghten
Westmore, VT. “Alpenglow.” | Photo: Terry VanVeghten
Backyard fisher Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Backyard fisher.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Heron Photo: Danielle Durocher
Hudson, NH. This great blue heron eating a pickerel was taken on December 3rd (late in the year for herons to be present). | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Red Oak Photo: Helen Baldwin
Chatham, NY. “A red oak holds onto its leaves which rattle in the cold wind.” | Photo: Helen Baldwin
Snow trail Photo: Alice B. Fogel
Boston, MA. “‘The Blob’ on the Cedar Trail, Arnold Arboretum.” | Photo: Alice B. Fogel
Chickadee Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Black-capped chickadee feeding on staghorn sumac seeds.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Witch's butter Photo: Denise Dame
Hanover, NH. Frozen witch’s butter, a type of jelly fungus, sparkles in the sunlight. | Photo: Denise Dame
Icicles Photo: Rodney Johnson
Lake George, NY. “Some neat icicles.” | Photo: Rodney Johnson
Ice Needles Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Plymouth, NH. “A line of ice needles rise from the ground that resemble a snail’s head with antennae.” | Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Pine seedlings Photo: Cindy Morin
Pownal, ME. “This little pine seedling started its morning completely encrusted with a beautiful layer of ice.” | Photo: Cindy Morin
Short eared owl Photo: Tami Gingrich
Parkman, OH. “This has been an epic winter for short-eared owls. Sometimes a thorough search of the vegetation will reveal their daytime hiding spots. I felt extremely lucky to discover these two peering out from beneath some rushes.” | Photo: Tami Gingrich
Snow wall Photo: Sheri Larsen
Waterbury, VT. “Snow on an old stone fence in Little River State Park.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bluebird Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Gilmanton, NH. “One of three bluebirds who have settled into a nearby field for the winter.” | Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Paper birch Photo: Tom Grett
Adirondacks, NY. “Peeling paper birch.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Alford Springs Photo: Clare Lise Kelly
Great Barrington, MA. “Alford Springs Trail through the Forest and Meadow Conservation project of Berkshire Natural Resources Council, with view toward Taconic Hills.” | Photo: Clare Lise Kelly
Redpoll Photo: Danielle Durocher
Hudson, NH. “Common redpoll.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Frozen branches Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Plymouth, NH. “Frozen branches near the water. One seems to resemble the shape of a large insect.” | Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Tree sparrow Photo: Helen Baldwin
Lakeville, CT. An American tree sparrow. “Although its name suggests a close relationship with trees, these sparrows prefer open shrubby areas. I only see them in the cold months, so winter must be here!” | Photo: Helen Baldwin
Big brook Photo: Sylvia Vidal
Indian Lake, NY. “Big Brook.” | Photo: Sylvia Vidal
Trail camera Photo: Bonnie Honaberger
Snydertown, PA. “Sneaky buck! He rubbed a tree behind the trail camera so I couldn't see just how big he is!” | Photo: Bonnie Honaberger
Bluejay Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Sandwich, NH. “This blue jay was looking for the last of the viable acorns.” | Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Clouds Photo: Jeannie Tardif
Campton, NH. “Neat sky.” | Photo: Jeannie Tardif
Woodpecker Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Gilford, NH. “Captured this male downy woodpecker as it was foraging on the trunk of a yellow birch.” | Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Tooth fungus Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “The tooth fungus Steccherinum ochraceum, which fruits on dead hardwoods.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Pheasant print Photo: Brooke Nye
North Sandwich, NH. “This is a pheasant body print left in fresh powder after takeoff.” | Photo: Brooke Nye
Pileated woodpecker Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Merrimack, NH. “Pileated woodpecker.” | Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Gray fox track Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Gray fox track in dusting of snow on ice.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Bobcat track Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Merrimack, NH. “Tracking wildlife, frozen bobcat track.” | Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Reishi mushroom Photo: Cindy Morin
Pownal, ME. “A vibrantly crimson reishi mushroom. I don’t typically find them this colorful at this time of year.” | Photo: Cindy Morin
Lichen Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Rockwood, ME. “British soldier lichen in snow.” | Photo: Jacqueline Robidoux
Witches broom Photo: AM Dannis
Dalton, NH. “’Witches broom’ is a mutated mass of dense deformed twigs and foliage. It forms a birds nest-like structure. It is seen here in a fir tree and is caused by fir broom rust (Melampsorella caryophyllacearum).” | Photo: AM Dannis
Ice forest Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Plymouth, NH. An Ice “looking glass” - could this lead to Alice's Winter Wonderland?” | Photo: Eric D'Aleo
Frosty clover Photo: Bonnie Honaberger
Snydertown, PA. “A light coat of frost.” | Photo: Bonnie Honaberger
White oak Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Rauchtown, PA. “White oak in black and white -- large old white oak in the midst of a hay field.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Mountain stream Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Gilford, NH. “A mountain stream the day before nearly two feet of snow fell.” | Photo: Benjamin Wymer
Brittany forest Photo: Anonymous
Central VT. Deep in the woods, a brittany poses with her glove prey. | Photo: Anonymous
Blazing sky Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “After a day of rain, a blazing sunset.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Ice feathers Photo: AM Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Miniature ice feathers on twig.” | Photo: AM Dannis
Woodstove Photo: Tami Gingrich
Middlefield, OH. “Nothing beats a hot cup of coffee and a cozy wood stove while awaiting the arrival of a new day.” | Photo: Tami Gingrich

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