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January 13th, 2023 Reader Photo Gallery

December 2022

Your December photos included ice bells, fast-flowing meltwater, blaze orange fungi, and winter tree work by beavers and pileated woodpeckers. In Bristol, New Hampshire, Herb D’Arcy discovered a downy woodpecker perched by its door knocker doppelganger. Chace Walker enjoyed the company of his coyote neighbor in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Sheri Larsen took a remarkable photo of otters swimming in the icy waters of Lake Champlain. Check out Marcy Stanton’s image of ice pancake formations.

Stay-tuned: the January 2023 gallery will appear shortly!

We're looking for February 2023 photos that relate to northeastern forests. Readers may submit up to three photos for consideration.

February Gallery Submission Deadline: Tuesday, February 28, 2023. This gallery appears in our bi-weekly e-newsletter. Sign up here!

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

Weasel Photo: Cynthia Crawford
Norwich, VT. “Hidey hole - no snow!” A weasel (probably a long-tailed weasel) in its winter white coat. | Photo: Cynthia Crawford
Ice reflection Photo: Marion Simao
Barkhamsted, CT. “Yeti.” | Photo: Marion Simao
Snow dog Photo: Karen Walker
Quincy, MA. “Shaking his snowy mantle.” | Photo: Karen Walker
Wood cross Photo: Torrey Crossman
Fairfield, VT. “Found this cool cross when cutting a Christmas fir in our woods.” | Photo: Torrey Crossman
Eastern bluebirds Photo: Tammy Gingrich
Middlefield, OH. “Eastern bluebirds pack together for warmth during a bitter cold spell.” | Photo: Tammy Gingrich
Silver bells Photo: Brenda Cartwright
Ellsworth, ME. “Silver bells on Christmas day!” | Photo: Brenda Cartwright
Cinnabar polypore Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Cinnabar red polypore mushroom on birch.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Eagles Photo: Ross Lanius
Hamden, CT. “Bald eagles are easier to see in winter when they are not in the nest caring for eaglets and the trees are bare of leaves.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Historic barn Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Historic barn against winter life.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Skunk cabbage Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Vinalhaven, ME. “Skunk cabbage in ice.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Woodpecker at the door Photo: Herb D’Arcy
Bristol, NH. “Downy woodpecker checking out door knocker.” | Photo: Herb D’Arcy
Deer Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Browsing by white-tailed deer has severely impacted Pennsylvania’s forests for over 80 years.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Mallards Photo: Ross Lanius
Hamden, CT. “These mallard ducks are reflected in open water at the edge of ice during a late December thaw.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Brain fungus Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “This is red tree brain fungus growing on an aspen twig.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Beaver tree Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Under construction log home.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Coyote Photo: Chace Walker
Quincy, MA. “Parting ways - a lone coyote passes through occasionally...we often make eye contact as he makes his way into the marshy grass. I wish people would try to coexist with these curious and intelligent creatures.” | Photo: Chace Walker
Farm rainbow Photo: Rich Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A snow bow as seen from Wheelview Farm.” | Photo: Rich Philben
Beaver pond Photo: Pennie Rand
Warren, VT. “Beaver pond exploration while searching for a Christmas tree.” | Photo: Pennie Rand
Snow berries Photo: Leif Tillotson
St. Albans, VT. “Red berries dusted with snow.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Silver ice Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A stream’s silver bells on Christmas Day.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Winter turkey Photo: Melissa Thaxton
Thetford Hill, VT. “Twinkle turkeys.” | Photo: Melissa Thaxton
Trestle bridge Photo: Kristy Foster
Crawford Notch, NH. “The trestle bridge in Crawford Notch.” | Photo: Kristy Foster
River otters Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Two river otters swimming in the icy water off of Colchester Causeway on Lake Champlain.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Birch polypore Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Waterville, PA. “Birch polypore fungus is common on both black birch and white.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Barred owl Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Barred owl peeking from high perch at midday.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Blue cohosh Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Ice looks like horns on blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) fruit.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Double rainbow Photo: Cooper Yandow
Essex, VT. “Double rainbow at sunset.” | Photo: Cooper Yandow
Ice Pancakes Photo: Marcy Stanton
Mont Vernon, NH. “Ice pancakes.” | Photo: Marcy Stanton
Beaver work Photo: Pennie Rand
Warren, VT. “Beaver pond exploration while searching for a Christmas tree in the Green Mountain National Forest.” | Photo: Pennie Rand
Rattlesnake plantain Photo: Jack Nelson
Plainfield, MA. “Rattlesnake plantain, a woodland orchid.” | Photo: Jack Nelson
Frozen lake Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “The freeze and thaw of this December in Vermont.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Birch ice Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lincoln, NH. “Birch leaf frozen in ice at the edge of a stream.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Bracket fungus Photo: David Porter
Brooklin, ME. A bracket fungus, probably red banded polypore (northern red belt), which “changed its orientation when the birch tree fell to the ground.” | Photo: David Porter
Rushing river Photo: Rich Philben
Shelburne, MA. “This is what happens when a foot of snow is washed away in less than 12 hours. The Deerfield River in Shelburne Falls.” | Photo: Rich Philben
Grosbeak Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. ”Female evening grosbeak.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Goldenrod gall Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Color transcends seasons...goldenrod gall.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Birch meadow Photo: Sharon Bombard
Adams, MA. “Trail through Birch Meadow, Greylock State Forest, early December.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
American kestrel Photo: Tami Gingrich
Middlefield, OH. “An American kestrel peers down from its perch atop a telephone pole.” | Photo: Tami Gingrich
Frozen leaves Photo: Beth Harris Pervier
Pownal, ME. “In the mixed woodlands of Southern Maine near the coast. This location is along a river. We own 17 acres that contain many distinct habitats, seasonal wetlands, a pond, shrub cover, riverbanks, hemlock groves, stands of native fern, meadow / field and upland mixed woodlands and watershed / spring fed gullies.” | Photo: Beth Harris Pervier
Open gall Photo: Wayne Stocker
Westfield, MA. “Open gall as seen in our backyard.” This is gall is formed when a cynipid wasp lays its eggs in the twig of an oak tree. | Photo: Wayne Stocker
Winter sunrise Photo: Rich Philben
Shelburne, MA. “Sunrise on the winter solstice as seen from my bedroom window!” | Photo: Rich Philben
Hepatica Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Hepatica leaves surrounded by snow hold the promise of spring bloom.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Woodpecker holes Photo: Cathy Tallen
Heath, MA. “Pileated woodpecker tree work.” | Photo: Cathy Tallen
Woodpecker holes Photo: Cathy Tallen
Heath, MA. “Pileated woodpecker tree work - a closer view.” | Photo: Cathy Tallen
White footed mouse Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “White-footed mouse captured by a camera trap built around a Sony S40 point-and-shoot camera.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Red shouldered hawk Photo: Tami Gingrich
Middlefield, OH. “A juvenile red-shouldered hawk perches along a wood edge.” | Photo: Tami Gingrich
Ice tree Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Icy tree.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Snow brook Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Swiftly flowing icy waters of Dragon Brook.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
December sunrise Photo: Tom Nold
Shelburne, VT. “Camel’s Hump sunrise in late December.” | Photo: Tom Nold
Cicada Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Vinalhaven, ME. “Female dog day cicada (Tibicen canicularis) exoskeleton. Check out those wings!” Editor’s note: these may take a moment to discern: they’re the long brown structures running parallel to the exoskeleton. | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Winter cat Photo: Marion Simao
Barkhamsted, CT. “Camouflaged in its grayish winter coat.” | Photo: Marion Simao
Clouds Photo: Penny Harris
Cambridge, VT. “Rare lenticular clouds seen over Smugglers Notch.” These typically form around mountains, and other places where air flow is obstructed, and forms eddies. | Photo: Penny Harris
Beaver tree Photo: Ken Hatch
Ripton, VT. “Sometimes things just do not go as planned. The beaver did a lot of hard work but the tree didn't go down. At a beaver pond on the Widow’s Clearing Trail in the Green Mountain National Forest in Ripton, Vermont.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Sunset Photo: Leif Tillotson
St. Albans, VT. “Colorful clouded sunset.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Frozen pond Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Water pools on frozen pond at sunset.” | Photo: Karinne Heise

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.

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