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March 17th, 2024 Reader Photo Gallery

February 2024

Your February photos showed winter mammal and bird activity, ice formations, and the first glimmerings of spring, including boiling sap, blooming witch hazel, and turtles back in the sun. In Blue Hill, Maine, Si Balch discovered a spectacular ice cone formation. In Heath, Massachusetts, Amy Quist was momentarily fooled by porcupine “bark,” and in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Charlie Schwarz got up close and personal with a jumping spider. Be sure to check out Dawn Brook’s photo of a bear nest.

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

Yellow fairy cups Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Yellow fairy cups - Bisporella citrina - on a warm February day.” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Hawk owl Photo: Danielle Durocher
Piscataquis County, ME. “Northern hawk owl.” | Photo: Danielle Durocher
Skunk cabbage Photo: Katie
Huntingdon, PA. “First skunk cabbage of the year.” | Photo: Katie
Winter trails Photo: Ellen Rennie
Bethlehem, NH. “Winter shadow trails.” | Photo: Ellen Rennie
Northern cardinal Photo: Asheley Cole
Eastern Colrain, MA. “A beautiful northern cardinal suspended off the ground against the cold winter whites and blues.” | Photo: Asheley Cole
British soldier lichen Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Elimsport, PA. “British soldiers are one of the most colorful lichens.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Witch hazel Photo: Mollie Babize
Ashfield, MA. Witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. “Ready for early pollinators! A sure sign spring will come.” | Photo: Mollie Babize
Ice in Schoharie Photo: Nancy Allen
Elka Park, NY. “Ice in the Schoharie Creek.” | Photo: Nancy Allen
Porcupine tree Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “Porcupine bark. It had me fooled from a distance.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Sapsucker bands Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “Yellow-bellied sapsucker exploratory bands.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Sunny turtles Photo: Ken Hatch
Windsor, VT. “A very surprising sighting of painted turtles enjoying the sun of a 60-degree day on February 27, 2024 at Lake Runnemede, Paradise Park.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Beautiful owl Photo: Amy Johnson
Lake Luzerne, NY. “A beautiful barred owl on the hunt.” | Photo: Amy Johnson
Ice fishing Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Ice Fishing on Colchester Pond - before the high temps this month melted the ice!” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Beech bark Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “The woodland spirits are watching over us.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Ice cone Photo: Si Balch
Blue Hill, ME. “Ice cone in brook created as a result of dropping water levels and dropping temperature.” | Photo: Si Balch
Sugar boil Photo: Scotty Gladstone
East Meredith, NY. “Maple sap boils in the early morning on February 12th.” | Photo: Scotty Gladstone
Frazil ice Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Flocs of frazil ice frozen against a large boulder in Trout Brook.” | Photo: Steven Arcone
Woodpecker log Photo: Cathy C. Weil
Milford, MI. “Helloooo. Anyone in there? Red-bellied woodpecker. We have not had many snow days in our area of Michigan, so when it started snowing I went to nearby Kensington Metro Park to try my luck at some winter bird photos.” | Photo: Cathy C. Weil
Woodlands heart Photo: Dawn Brooks
Richmond, MA. “Valentine’s Day woodland art.” | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Ruffed grouse Photo: Caroline Tricker
Stowe, VT. “Ruffed grouse in crab apple tree.” | Photo: Caroline Tricker
Red fox Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Red fox.” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Moose tracks Photo: Ellen Rennie
Bethlehem, NH. “Fresh moose tracks and a northern flicker feather.” | Photo: Ellen Rennie
Tufted titmouse Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A tufted titmouse preparing for takeoff.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Ice puzzle Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Ice puzzle.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Snowy deer Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “Snowy deer.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Birch transforms Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Birch transforms.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Pine siskin Photo: Jeanette Fournier
Littleton, NH. “Pine siskin during the February backyard bird count.” | Photo: Jeanette Fournier
Skunk cabbage Photo: Wayne Stocker
Agawam, MA. “Skunk cabbage spikes through ice in early February.” | Photo: Wayne Stocker
Tree roots Photo: Joyce Layne
South Chatham, NH. “Nature’s artwork with a window to the other side.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
White birch Photo: Ken Bridges
East Haven, VT. “Check out the geometry. Another one just like it further up on white birch stub.” | Photo: Ken Bridges
Bear nest Photo: Dawn Brooks
Richmond, MA. “Black bear nest at base of hemlock tree, lined with hemlock twigs, beech branches and leaves - and surrounded by several large (bird seed filled) scats.” | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Dimorphic jumping spider Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “The dimorphic jumping spider is common in buildings — males are found in two different color patterns which court females differently.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Beaver work Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Beavers at work! Several other trees had toppled over after beavers had gnawed on them.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Visiting ermine Photo: Ken Bridges
East Haven, VT. “Visiting ermine taking care of the mice population.” | Photo: Ken Bridges
Spider in winter Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “While stopped on the trail, a slight movement caught my eye. A spider, about a millimeter small, ascended its silk and entered its winter home.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Rodent skull Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Rodent (likely vole) skull from a great horned owl pellet. Nice dentition.” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Downy woodpecker Photo: Sharon Bombard
Adams, MA. “Downy woodpecker chased by a hawk thumped into my window and landed on the porch roof. I stayed nearby as she was a sitting duck (downy) if the hawk was still around. Seemed tiny so close up. Luckily unhurt, she flew off to the nearby trees soon after.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
White pine Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Tuxedo, NY. “White pine.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Beard lichen Photo: Sharon Bombard
Richmond, MA. “Beard lichen.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Fox in hay Photo: Scotty Gladstone
East Meredith, NY. “Red fox takes a break from mousing in a hay bale.” | Photo: Scotty Gladstone
Snow stripes Photo: Karinne Heise
Gilford, NH. “Snow stripes on the north side of Piper Mountain trees.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Overwintering cocoon Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Overwintering cocoon.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Potholes Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Nature created artwork at the Glacial Potholes in Shelburne Falls.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Chickadee Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “A friendly little chickadee in the northern Adirondacks.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Cave ice Photo: Lee Toomey
Burlington, VT. “Icicles revealing cracks in dolostone.” | Photo: Lee Toomey
Sap buckets Photo: Leif Tillotson
Swanton, VT. “Sap buckets skirt a very large maple.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Coyote tracks Photo: Linda J. Spielman
Dryden, NY. “Coyote tracks on frozen pond.” | Photo: Linda J. Spielman
Huntstown Photo: Mollie Babize
Ashfield, MA. “History along the Bear River in Ashfield (initially called Huntstown).” | Photo: Mollie Babize
Spring bluebirds Photo: Matty DeLuca
North Marshfield, MA. “Two bluebirds eating suet out of an orange at our outside Christmas tree.” | Photo: Matty DeLuca
Active beavers Photo: Nancy Halloran
Haverhill, MA. “Very active beaver lodge on shore of Cristal Lake.” | Photo: Nancy Halloran
Early successional habitat Photo: Alex Barrett
Westminster, VT. “A purposeful mess in an NRCS Early Successional Habitat project —creating structure and habitat for wildlife in an old field pine stand.” | Photo: Alex Barrett
Lesser scaup Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Lesser scaups are often found on freshwater lakes and ponds. This pair was on a beaver pond adjacent to a large wetland.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Wasp nest Photo: Tim Larsen
Moretown, VT. “Wasp nest.” | Photo: Tim Larsen
Pincushion moss Photo: Harry Gornto
Sag Harbor, NY. “Pincushion moss at Trout Pond Park in Sag Harbor.” | Photo: Harry Gornto
Winter birch Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A solitary birch tree brightening up the neighborhood!” | Photo: Richard Philben
Club moss Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Club moss in the spotlight.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Ice shapes Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Centimeter size tree-like crystals growing from an ice shelf over receding water in Trout Brook, West Lebanon.” | Photo: Steven Arcone
The Basin Photo: Ken Hatch
Lincoln, NH. “A beautiful 40 plus degree day at The Basin in Franconia Notch State Park.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Spring nuthatch Photo: Cathy C. Weil
Milford, MI. “Nuthatch during winter snow storm, Kensington Metro Park.” | Photo: Cathy C. Weil
Turtle on ice Photo: Sheryl Gebauer
Clarendon, VT. “Turtle crawling on pond ice in this warm winter.” | Photo: Sheryl Gebauer
Frozen grass Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Morning ice on grass.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Beaver dam Photo: Lee Toomey
Hyde Park, VT. “When a beaver dam becomes an otter’s playground.” | Photo: Lee Toomey
Forest blowdowns Photo: Sheri Larsen
Essex Town, VT. “Strong wind storms in mid-January knocked over some big trees on this trail at Indian Brook Reservoir Park in Essex, Vermont. There was a lot of wind damage, and town crews spent a good while chain-sawing all the trees that fell across the trails.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Beaver chew Photo: Wayne Stocker
Agawam-Feeding Hills, MA. “Perfect cut – beaver activity on the Westfield River.” | Photo: Wayne Stocker
Conk and chips Photo: Anonymous
Thetford Center, VT. “A pileated woodpecker dislodged this tinder polypore conk while excavating larvae from a tree.” | Photo: Anonymous
Sparkly ice Photo: Sharon Bombard
Williamstown, MA. “Sparkling brook! Bright sun and angle (and my iPhone) created this image (though it has been cropped).” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Bluejay Photo: Amy Quist
Charlemont, MA. “In search of seeds, this blue jay acquired a snow-ringed bill.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Fisher tracks Photo: Dawn Brooks
Richmond, MA. “Fisher tracks along a turkey tail fringed log - I love the beauty and adventure of following critter tracks through the woods - one of winter’s joys.” | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Snowy adirondacks Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “A lakeside secluded cove asleep for the winter under a fresh blanket of snow.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Snowy mountains Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A snow-capped Mt. Monadnock as seen from 45 miles away in Shelburne.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Ice shelves Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Multiple ice shelves exposed after three days of melting and erosion in Trout Brook, West Lebanon.” | Photo: Steven Arcone
Winter wonderland Photo: Ken Hatch
Hancock, VT. “A winter wonderland at the top of Middlebury Gap in the Green Mountain National Forest.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Woodland cocoon Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “I came upon this cocoon in the woods, still intact and securely attached to the branch after several February high wind events. Nature astounds.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Winter nest Photo: Katie
Huntingdon, PA. “Fallen nest.” | Photo: Katie
Hollow stump Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Tuxedo, NY. “Hollow stump.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch

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