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May 2024

We were happily overwhelmed by the quality and diversity of images submitted for May. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos for consideration! Selected images included painted trilliums, lady’s slippers and other late spring flowers, singing birds, and bird nests. In Deerfield, Massachusetts, forester Alex Barrett participated in planting young oaks on the edge of a shelterwood. In Burlington, Vermont, Lee Toomey enjoyed a “mink moment,” and in Worcester, New York, tree swallows returned to their box after an unfortunate bee swarming incident.

The June 2024 Gallery will appear shortly, check back soon!

We’re looking for July 2024 photos that relate to northeastern forests. Readers may submit up to three photos for consideration.

July Gallery Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 31, 2024. This gallery appears in our bi-weekly e-newsletter. Sign up here!

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

Baby garter snake Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Isle au Haut, ME. “Baby garter snake inspecting yellow-spotted salamander eggs.” | Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Black swallowtail Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) checking out the lilacs.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Snail larva Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Juvenile snail larva.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Underplanting oak Photo: Alex Barrett
Deerfield, MA. “Underplanting white oak on the edge of shelterwood from 2023.” | Photo: Alex Barrett
Wild columbine Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Waterville, PA. “Wild columbine frequently grows on exposed shale ledges.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Bird box Photo: Katherine Cook
Stonington, CT. “Thinking outside the box!” | Photo: Katherine Cook
Crested flycatcher Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A very loud great crested flycatcher.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Sundew Photo: Jenna O’del
Coventry, RI. “Round-leaved sundew discovered on Coventry Land Trust land.” | Photo: Jenna O’del
Dragonfly Photo: John H. Anderson
Marlboro, VT. “A dragonfly that has left his husk dries out his wings.” | Photo: John H. Anderson
Morels Photo: Bekky Honkala
Wilmington, NY. “Morel mushroom and violet.” | Photo: Bekky Honkala
Palm warbler Photo: Jeanette Fournier
Littleton, NH. “Palm warbler in the trees and bushes along a stream.” | Photo: Jeanette Fournier
Painted trillium Photo: Jeff Carmichael
Hinsdale, NH. “A painted trillium near shore of Kilburn Pond, Pisgah State Forest. Captured with tripod on Nikon D850 with Nikon Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens. f9 @1/25s, 100 ISO.” | Photo: Jeff Carmichael
Mink Photo: Lee Toomey
Burlington, VT. “A mink moment.” | Photo: Lee Toomey
May apple flower Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Elusive may apple flower nearly hidden beneath its canopy of large leaves.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Busy beavers Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “Busy beavers in the northern Adirondacks.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Cinnamon fern Photo: Annie Walsh
Mount Gretna, PA. “Cinnamon fern on the trail.” | Photo: Annie Walsh
Broadwinged hawk Photo: Jen Adams
Campton, NH. “Broad-winged hawk.” | Photo: Jen Adams
Elderberry Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
New Boston, NH. “Elderberry.” | Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Painted trilliums Photo: Mike Parisio
Millinocket, ME. “Painted trilliums sprinkle the forest floor in Baxter State Park.” | Photo: Mike Parisio
Sclerotic ring Photo: Kirk Gentalen
St George, ME. “Sclerotic ring in a feathery otter spraint from an oceanic island. Cormorant is a fair guess as to the previous owner.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
May bees Photo: Chris Burrington
Worcester, NY. “My friend’s bees began to swarm and followed the queen to this birdbox. The poor tree swallows who had eggs within kept trying to enter. Happy ending: my friend brushed the bees into a box and the birds were reunited with their clutch.” | Photo: Chris Burrington
Jack in pulpit Photo: Anne Crans
Hudsonville, MI. “Jack-in-the-pulpit - Hudsonville Nature Center.” | Photo: Anne Crans
Pine elfin Photo: Barry J. Wicklow
Francestown, NH. “A variety of small bees gather pollen from the top of the wild geranium flower (Geranium maculatum), but I've only observed the pine elfin (Callophrys niphon) feeding from the underside of the flower. | Photo: Barry J. Wicklow
Serviceberry blossoms Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “The forest where I am a volunteer land steward doesn't have many flowering trees. But the serviceberries show off for a short time every May.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Adirondack boulders Photo: Don Wharton
Johnsburg, NY. “Adirondack trout pond. Most Adirondack boulders were rounded off by the retreating glacier. What happened to these splintered ones?” | Photo: Don Wharton
Virginia saxifrage Photo: Ken Hatch
Thetford, VT. “Virginia saxifrage growing out of a ledge at Union Village Dam.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Spruce grouse Photo: Joyce Layne
Stow, ME. “Male spruce grouse undaunted by my presence on the Blueberry Ridge Trail between Blueberry and Speckled mountains.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
Hickory leaves Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “New shagbark hickory leaves emerging in early May.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Hummingbird moth Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Franconia, NH. “Hummingbird moth.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Fringed polygala Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Little airplane, little gay wings or fringed polygala – take your pick for this pretty little wildflower.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Thrush nest Photo: Dawn Brooks
Sheffield, MA. “Do you see the thrush nest? I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t startled her off her nest before quickly snapping this picture (bottom center, below the columbine).” | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Woodcock nest Photo: Linda Brownson
Wentworth, NH. “The incredible camouflage of a nesting woodcock on the ground in an early successional habitat location, later discovered to be sitting on 4 large brown spotted eggs!” | Photo: Linda Brownson
Yellow warblers Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Two yellow warblers at Colchester Pond.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Larch spring Photo: Prudence Wholey
Shelburne, MA. “Larch in spring.” | Photo: Prudence Wholey
Blackbird eggs Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “Red-winged blackbird eggs in Dragon’s Pond.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Double ladysslipper Photo: David Nallett
Keene, NH. “Double blossom pink lady’s slipper.” | Photo: David Nallett
Ferns Photo: Linda Reed
Constantia, NY. “Unfurling.” | Photo: Linda Reed
Bluets Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
New Boston, NH. “Bluets.” | Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Rusty waterwheel Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Waterwheel tethered too long.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Baltimore oriole Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. A Baltimore oriole. | Photo: Karinne Heise
Wild leeks Photo: Peggy Warwick
Buckland, MA. “Wild leek harvest.” | Photo: Peggy Warwick
Dragonflies on flowers Photo: Jake Kritzer
Durham, NH. “The dragonflies are getting active in the New Hampshire seacoast!” | Photo: Jake Kritzer
Beetle on viburnum Photo: Jen Adams
Campton, NH. “Evodinus monticola / flower longhorn beetle hanging out on spring viburnum hobblebush.” [Editor’s note: the common name flower longhorn beetle includes multiple species.] | Photo: Jen Adams
Spruce cones Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “New spruce cones. They are tiny and really are that purple before moving to the next stage of development.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Ladysslippers Photo: Joyce Layne
Greenwood, ME. “Many lady’s slippers were found on the Long Mountain trail.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
Tiger swallowtail Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “Canadian tiger swallowtail on an apple blossom.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Oyster aspen Photo: Kirk Gentalen
St. George, ME. “Oyster on aspen.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Red eft Photo: Sheri Larsen
Jericho, VT. “One of several red efts on the hiking trails at Mills Riverside Park.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Loop trail Photo: Sharon Bombard
Lee, MA. “The loop trail at Basin Pond meanders through boulder fields and at one point passes between two massive glacial erratics. A spur trail leads to a lookout over Basin Pond.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
American crow Photo: Lee Toomey
Colchester, VT. An American crow in the act of eating a robin chick. | Photo: Lee Toomey
Tree root Photo: Matty DeLuca
Marshfield, MA. “A mystery arch.” | Photo: Matty DeLuca
Columbine Photo: Jeff Carmichael
Dummerston, VT. “Wild columbine growing on cliffs along West River Trail in Dummerston. Nikon D850 with Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens. Lens focal length set at 27mm, f9 @1/6s, 100 ISO.” | Photo: Jeff Carmichael
Singing warbler Photo: Mike Parisio
Millinocket, ME. “A black-and-white warbler sings to set up a spring territory.” | Photo: Mike Parisio
Frog laying eggs Photo: Peter Hollinger
Sharon, VT. “Pickerel frogs in amplexus while the female lays another batch of eggs.” | Photo: Peter Hollinger
Painted trillium Photo: Phil McCole
South Londonderry, VT. “Painted trillium in the Green Mountain National Forest.” | Photo: Phil McCole
Two lined salamander Photo: Chuck Dinsmore
Midcoast Conservancy’s Trout Brook Preserve, Alna, ME. “A two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata. It’s a plethodontid salamander often found hiding under rocks along the banks of streams.” | Photo: Chuck Dinsmore
Goose eggs Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A half dozen goose eggs in a nest lined with goose down.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Sensitive fern Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Sensitive fern unfurling.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
White Pine Cones Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Isle au Haut, ME. “White pine candles with new cones forming.” | Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Island reflections Photo: John Blaser
Brewster, NY. “Island reflection.” | Photo: John Blaser
Squirrel corn Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis) shines in a rich mesic forest.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Crescent butterflies Photo: Sharon Bombard
Richmond, MA. “Gathering of northern crescent butterflies on horse manure (they obtain minerals and salts from animal scat).” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Hemlock growth Photo: Judy Sweet
Buckland, MA. “New growth on the hemlock branches is one of my favorite woodland sights.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Carpet moth Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “It’s not just butterflies that are colorful, so is this white-banded toothed carpet moth.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Ferns Photo: Susan Barnes
Strafford, VT. “A group of ferns by the end of my driveway. Love those shades of green.” | Photo: Susan Barnes
Striped maple Photo: Peggy Warwick
Shelburne, MA. “New leaves and flowers of striped maple.” | Photo: Peggy Warwick
Ant attack Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Whitefield, NH. “An eastern tent caterpillar’s tent shelter invaded by a large black ant which immediately began attacking the 1st instar larvae.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Yellow ladysslipper Photo: Sheri Larsen
Burlington, VT. “Such a joy to find a yellow lady’s slipper!” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Red columbine Photo: Kirk Gentalen
St George, ME. “Red columbine.” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Marsh marigolds Photo: Ken Hatch
Hartland, VT. “Marsh marigold at Eshqua Bog.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Luna moth Photo: Vickie Monahan
Montgomery Center, VT. “Looking in.” | Photo: Vickie Monahan
White red squirrel Photo: Marygrace Barber
Otisfield, ME. “An albino or leucistic red squirrel surprise appearance.” | Photo: Marygrace Barber
Mountain ladysslippers Photo: Jen Adams
Waterville Valley, NH. “Pink lady’s slippers, between Welch and Dickey Mountains.” | Photo: Jen Adams
Full moon over river Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Isle au Haut, ME. “Full moon with moon river.” | Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Jumping red fox Photo: David Nallett
Keene, NH. “Red fox jumping over low tree limb.” | Photo: David Nallett

Submit Your Photographs

We are looking for images taken in the past month. We will select approx. 60 images to feature in each gallery. Considerations include: variety of topics, quality of image, resolution (size), and geographic diversity. Special consideration is also given to first-time photographer submissions.

Three photo submissions per person, please. We regret that we cannot publish all submissions!

Please read and agree to the terms and conditions below, which provide Northern Woodlands a perpetual license to use your photographs. If your photo isn’t selected for our gallery but we wish to use it for another purpose, we will contact you.

If you have trouble submitting your images (such as an error message saying your photo is too large) please email your picture and caption to: Nancy (at) northernwoodlands.org with the email subject line: Reader Photo Submission. Important: Please confirm in your email that you agree to our terms and conditions outlined below.

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