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March 23rd, 2023 Reader Photo Gallery

February 2023

Your February photos included images of winter resident birds and northern visitors, a tree valentine, and quiet scenes illuminated by soft winter light. A number of you shared intriguing patterns. In Canandaigua, New York, Samantha Wolf captured a female cardinal perfectly posed among frozen maple blossoms. In Burlington, Vermont, Leif Tillotson pondered the transformation of last season’s vegetation, and Amy Quist, stepping out of her door in Heath, Massachusetts, captured a macro image of snowflakes on fleece. Check out Kirk Gentalen’s frozen coyote slide, Nathan Kurz’s gruesome-but-cool photo of a moth half-consumed by cordyceps fungus, and Sheri Larsen’s lucky sighting: a male long-tailed duck on Lake Champlain.

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

Evening grosbeak Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Tunbridge, VT. “An evening grosbeak showing off his stunning colors.” | Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Gray alder Photo: Ken Hatch
Hartford, VT. “Gray alder, also called speckled alder. The long catkins are the male buds, the tiny catkins are the female buds. In this photo the female catkins are difficult to see but can be seen best near the top center above the larger branch. They hang over the male catkins. The brown cones are last year’s fruit.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Backcountry skiing Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bolton, VT. “A brightly-clad skier enjoys the new snow on backcountry ski trails in Bolton.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Pine grosbeaks Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Morning visitors...pine grosbeaks.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Winter swing Photo: Robert Schneider
Margaretville, NY. Margaretville, NY. “Swinging on a cold winter day.” | Photo: Robert Schneider
Snowflake on fleece Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “Caught on fleece, a few snowflakes show off their six sides. Photo taken on my front steps.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Backyard boiling Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Backyard operation - boiling sap for maple syrup.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Merrimack ice flow Photo: Stephen Fox
Concord, NH. “Merrimack River ice flow and reflections.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Otter tracks Photo: Linda Spielman
Dryden, NY. “Otter slides on a frozen lake with a rainbow.” | Photo: Linda Spielman
Frozen tree Photo: Robert Schneider
Margaretville, NY. “Dropped my son off to ski and I drove around photographing the winter scenes.” | Photo: Robert Schneider
Female cardinal Photo: Samantha Wolf
Canandaigua, NY. “Female cardinal matches surrounding frozen flowers.” | Photo: Samantha Wolf
Snow drop Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Snowdrop, first blossom of the new year, real early this year, Feb 8.” Snowdrops aren’t native plants – their natural range is in Europe and Eurasia – but they’re not considered invasive, and are a welcome early sign of spring in the Northeast. | Photo: Ross Lanius
Wood slice Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Thin slice of wood, no idea what kind of tree.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Evening grosbeak Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Tunbridge, VT. “Female/immature evening grosbeak in snow.” | Photo: Cheryl Metcalf
Yellow house finch Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Most male house finches are red, but some are yellow variants - same species, different color.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Coyote crossing Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Coyote crossing.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Pond otter Photo: Ben Haubrich
New Boston, NH. “Swallowing the last bite.” | Photo: Ben Haubrich
Long tailed duck Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “An uncommon visitor from the north. This male long-tailed duck was seen on Lake Champlain just off the Colchester Causeway.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
East Concord Canal Photo: Stephen Fox
Concord, NH. “Part of a planned, but never finished, canal to facilitate barge traffic from the Merrimack River in East Concord.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Geese Photo: Bonnie Benton
Wilson, NY. “Geese on the mouth of 12 Mile Creek.” | Photo: Bonnie Benton
Fungal mycelium Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Franconia, NH. “Mycelium of a wood decaying fungal species.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Bolton Mountain Photo: Jack Scott
Bolton, VT. “The top of Bolton Valley Ski Resort.” | Photo: Jack Scott
Leopard moth caterpillar Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Giant tiger moths spend the winter as caterpillars. Here’s the ventral side of one of those large hairy caterpillars.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Skunk cabbage Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Skunk cabbage, really breaking the ground early this year.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Deerfield River Bridge Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne Falls, MA. “View of the Deerfield River from Shelburne Falls. Along the north side of the river is the Mahican Mohawk Trail, and Mount Massamet rises in the background.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Bird friends Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “Some visitors to our bird feeders.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Fungal formation Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Fascinating fungal formation.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Coyote slided Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Coyote slipped in snow on ice, snow melted and refroze, and became this....” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tufted titmouse Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Tufted titmouse.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Winter plants Photo: Leif Tillotson
Burlington, VT. “Delicate vegetation has a whole different look in its winter garb.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Sunrise Photo: Amy Quist
Florida, MA. “View from Whitcomb Summit, this was a Groundhog Day sunrise I could relive over and over.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Handsome eagle Photo: Ken Hatch
Windsor, VT. “Bald eagle at Lake Runnemede. Vermont Audubon and Vermont Fish and Wildlife reintroduced bald eagles to Vermont from 2004-2006. The first pair to nest successfully in Vermont was in 2008. In 2022 Vermont had at least 45 territorial pairs.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Shag bark hickory Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Judging by the number of empty nutshells at the base of this shagbark hickory, this is a popular tree for neighborhood wildlife.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Smugglers notch Photo: Aidan Jarvis
Cambridge, VT. “Smugglers Notch Ski Resort.” | Photo: Aidan Jarvis
Snow geese Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Pennsdale, PA. “Snow geese began their migration a little early this year.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Cordyceps moth Photo: Nathan Kurz
Readsboro, VT. “Moth infected with cordyceps fungus.” | Photo: Nathan Kurz
Spider on ice Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Spider ’n ice.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Barred owl Photo: Tim Larsen
Moretown, VT. “Our resident barred owl soaking in the sun.” | Photo: Tim Larsen
Night skiing Photo: Laura Pratt
Bolton, VT. “Night skiing with a view. Sunset over the Adirondacks.” | Photo: Laura Pratt
Hungry porcupine Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Yup, it’s a very hungry porcupine!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Birds flying Photo: Saralynn Anderson
Island Pond, VT. “Two birds flying together.” This image shows a red-breasted nuthatch and a chickadee. These species will often join with other birds in mixed winter flocks. | Photo: Saralynn Anderson
Heart in the woods Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Heart of the woods.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Freezing rain Photo: Samantha Wolf
Canandaigua, NY. “After freezing rain.” | Photo: Samantha Wolf
Pileated woodpecker Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “A chilly morning adventure through loud, crunchy snow led to a surprise encounter with a pileated woodpecker in some nearby woods.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Opossum Photo: Susan E. March
Marcellus, NY. “Opossum sneaks from the woods to have a feast before going to bed for the day.” | Photo: Susan E. March
Neon stone wall Photo: Judy Sweet
Ashfield, MA. “Neon green growth on a stone wall stands out in the winter landscape.” Lichen often brightens during thaws. | Photo: Judy Sweet
Horned lark Photo: Ken Hatch
Addison, VT. “Male horned lark at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Maple taps Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Tapping with a bucket and tubing in this productive sugar maple.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Hooded merganser Photo: Ben Haubrich
New Boston, NH. “Early arrival. Is Feb.17 too early?” | Photo: Ben Haubrich
Winter nest Photo: Stephen Fox
Concord, NH. “Winter takes its toll on last year’s nest.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Champlain sunset Photo: Leif Tillotson
Swanton, VT. “Lake Champlain sunset.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Bobcat sliding Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Bobcat sliding in snow on ice. Silly kitty.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Deer in forest Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “Some visitors to our bird feeders.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Barred owl Photo: Don Rathbone
Charlestown, RI. “This barred owl stayed the morning in this tree 30 ft. from our back door and only about 8 ft. above the ground even with us going in and out of the house.” | Photo: Don Rathbone
Tree silhouettes Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Tree silhouettes at twilight.” | Photo: Karinne Heise

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