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October 2023

Your October photos showed late season migratory birds, colorful foliage, and fall fungi. In North Haven, Connecticut, Ross Lanius documented a sobering view of three EAB-created hazard trees, while in Vienna, Maine, Sue Mayotte found a hazard of another kind in an exposed wasp nest. We love the sculptural look of Mary Hartt’s common merganser, and check out Steven Arcone’s surprising image of the capillary fringes of dew drops on a spider’s web.

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

Vermont loon Photo: Bob Malbon
Hyde Park, VT. “Loon yoga.” | Photo: Bob Malbon
Eyelash cup fungi Photo: Jill DeVito
Windsor, VT. “Eyelash cup fungi (about the size of my pinky fingernail) at Mt. Ascutney State Park.” | Photo: Jill DeVito
Forest floor Photo: Linda Reed
Constantia, NY. “Oak leaves in October rain with tiny maple seedling.” | Photo: Linda Reed
Common merganser Photo: Mary Hartt
North Maine Woods, ME. While the photographer was out looking for moose, “this common merganser asked to have a photo taken.” | Photo: Mary Hartt
Bumblebees Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. Dew soaked bumblebees. | Photo: Chantal Caron
Trees in fall Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Trout Run, PA. “White birch with red maple leaves in the background produces a beautiful scene.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Herald moth Photo: Stephen Fox
Concord, NH. “Herald moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix) on raspberry. I was so impressed with this critter, I let it have the raspberry.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Fly fisherman Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Fly fisherman casting his line in the Warner River.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Milkweed bugs Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “A single milkweed bug on seeds.” This is late instar nymph. | Photo: Ross Lanius
Bull Moose Photo: Chris Demers
Northeast Kingdom, VT. “Thirsty bull moose pausing on a beaver dam.” | Photo: Chris Demers
Dew fringes Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Connected dew drops, showing capillary fringes, on a grass spider’s web.” | Photo: Steven Arcone
Pickerel frogs Photo: Diane Thureson
Marshfield, ME. “Pickerel frogs are some of the most beautiful in color and pattern. I often see them out and about this time of year perhaps in preparation for the winter rest.” | Photo: Diane Thureson
Moosewood Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Francestown, NH. “Moosewood.” Other names include striped maple and goose foot. | Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Meadowhawk dragonflies Photo: Kelly Stettner
Springfield, VT. “A love-fest of late-season meadowhawk dragonflies on Muckross Pond!” | Photo: Kelly Stettner
Mushroom tree Photo: Banner Moffat
Vinalhaven, ME. “Mushroom tree.” | Photo: Banner Moffat
Reflection in bubble Photo: Cori Hill
Westford, VT. “My reflection in a stream bubble.” | Photo: Cori Hill
Goldenrod hooded owlet Photo: Dawn Brooks
Monterey, MA. “Goldenrod hooded owlet on goldenrod in Beartown State Forest.” | Photo: Dawn Brooks
Ruffed grouse Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “This beautiful ruffed grouse posed perfectly for me.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Fall forest Photo: Mary Hartt
Etna, ME. “Driving into our woodlot after more rain I saw this reflection in the road.” | Photo: Mary Hartt
White oak leaf Photo: Margie Manthey
Wolfe Lake, Ontario, Canada. “This white oak leaf shows that photosynthesis is ceasing.” | Photo: Margie Manthey
Kinglet on nannyberry Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A ruby-crowned kinglet perched in a nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) shrub.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Colorful fruit bodies Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Sugar Hill, NH. “Two colorful fruit bodies of the blue-stain and lemon drop fungi were found together on a rotting log. The fruit body of the blue-stain fungus is only seen after prolonged wet periods.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Walking fern Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bristol, VT. “Walking fern on a rock wall in a forest preserve in Bristol. This is the first walking fern that I have seen in Vermont!” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Eft Photo: Jill DeVito
Windsor, VT. “Another brightly colored fungus? No, this red eft found a room with a view!” | Photo: Jill DeVito
Mushroom ladder Photo: David Humphrey
Stamford, CT. “Mushroom ladder.” These are resinous polypores. | Photo: David Humphrey
Snapping turtle Photo: Skip Stanger
Etna/Hanover, NH. “Baby snapper, found in grass nowhere near water on 10/25/23.” | Photo: Skip Stanger
Dead ash Photo: Ross Lanius
Hamden, CT. “Danger, three dead white ash killed by the emerald ash borer (EAB) leaning on a tree.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Hornet nest Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Amazing what appears after the leaves fall...an active, almost 2-foot long bald-faced hornet nest right along a trail!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Lichen on branch Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
West Kingston, RI. “Lichen growing on a branch along a river.” | Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Orange peel fungus Photo: Karinne Heise
Hopkinton, NH. “Orange peel fungus popping up in a recently logged area.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Cliffs Photo: Greg Shute
T1 R11, ME. “The cliffs on Fourth Debsconeag Lake.” | Photo: Greg Shute
Fly amanita Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Fly amanita, one of the mycorrhizal fungi that has a relationship with the roots of trees -- in this case with a white pine’s roots.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Slab trail Photo: Jill DeVito
Windsor, VT. “Yellow birch along the Slab Trail near the summit of Mt. Ascutney.” | Photo: Jill DeVito
Acorn Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. “Acorn.” | Photo: Chantal Caron
Changing leaves Photo: Susan Lichty
Lempster, NH. “Changing colors.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Taylor Pond Photo: John W. Blaser
Brewster, NY. “Catamount Mountain from Taylor Pond, Adirondacks.” | Photo: John W. Blaser
Shaggy mane Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Shaggy mane (Coprinus comatus) just beginning to show why it's also known as shaggy ink cap!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Morrill Pond Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “Woods road leading to Morrill Pond in fall colors.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Camouflage frog Photo: Cori Hill
Westford, VT. “Camouflage.” | Photo: Cori Hill
Goodrich rock Photo: Nancy Halloran
Waterville Valley, NH. “20-foot ladder to the top of Goodrich Rock.” This is one of New Hampshire’s largest known glacial erratics. | Photo: Nancy Halloran
Dragonfly Photo: Jeff Pickett
Cumberland, ME. “Dragonfly.” | Photo: Jeff Pickett
Brick top mushrooms Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Franconia, NH. “Common brick top mushrooms.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Milkweed seeds Photo: Joyce Layne
West Stoneham, ME. “Milkweed seeds ready to disperse in the breeze on a cool October day.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
Mansfield Colors Photo: Sheri Larsen
Underhill, VT. “Fall colors in Underhill Center with Mt. Mansfield’s forehead beyond.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Golden crown kinglet Photo: Jane Ogilvie
Middlebury, VT. “Cute little golden-crowned kinglet.” | Photo: Jane Ogilvie
Taylor pond Photo: Kathleen Demers
Willington, CT. “Late autumn afternoon on Taylor Pond.” | Photo: Kathleen Demers
Otter Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “While paddling on a remote lake in the northern Adirondacks we enjoyed watching this otter.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Red Pine Photo: John W. Blaser
Brewster, NY. “Red pine close-up, Massawepie Lake, Adirondacks.” | Photo: John W. Blaser
Autumn color Photo: Leif Tillotson
Eden, VT. “Reflected autumn colors.” | Photo: Leif Tillotson
Paper wasp nest Photo: Sue Mayotte
Vienna, ME. “Wasp nest at Kimball Pond.” | Photo: Sue Mayotte
Stars Photo: Mary Hartt
Baxter State Park, ME. “Early in the morning after moonset.” | Photo: Mary Hartt
Luna moth caterpillar Photo: Jack Nelson
Plainfield, MA. “Luna moth caterpillar on a beaked hazelnut bush.” | Photo: Jack Nelson
Birds in cove Photo: Richard Philben
Gil, MA. “A great blue heron and a great egret share a log in Barton’s Cove.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Baby porky Photo: Patricia Liddle
Lanesboro, MA. “Young of the year porcupine by the side of road up Mount Greylock.” | Photo: Patricia Liddle
Mountain fire views Photo: Nancy Halloran
Presidential Range, White Mt. National Forest, NH. “View from the top of Mt. Washington as seen through the smoky haze from the wildfires in Canada.” | Photo: Nancy Halloran
Shelburne autumn Photo: Richard Philben
Shelburne, MA. “A beautiful autumn day.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Sixspotted orbweaver Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Two-millimeter-long, male, six spotted orb-weaver feeding on fresh bundled prey. What’s in the bundle?” | Photo: Steven Arcone
Autumn pond Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “Walking by the pond at the height of the fall colors the sun came out briefly and rendered this reflection.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Blueberries Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Outliers — wild blueberries in late October in the Great North Woods?!?” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Honey mushrooms Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Honey mushrooms.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Autumn wetlands Photo: Ken Hatch
Ryegate, VT. “Autumn wetland and upland from Lower Symes Pond.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Bobcat Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Ashland, ME. “A Canadian lynx from northern Maine.” | Photo: Lonnie Jandreau
Blue headed vireo Photo: Jane Ogilvie
Ripton, VT. “Blue headed vireo seen in the Green Mountains of Vermont one fine day in October- perhaps getting ready to leave.” | Photo: Jane Ogilvie
Orange gilled waxcap Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. Waxcap mushrooms. | Photo: Stephen Fox
Spring peeper Photo: Cathy Tallen
Heath, MA. A spring peeper, “about the size of the tip of my finger, and from afar looked like a gray part of a leaf.” | Photo: Cathy Tallen
Partridgeberry Photo: Sheri Larsen
Essex Town, VT. “Partridgeberry and fallen leaves.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Fungi Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Stoneham, ME. “Fungi on trunk on slope of Lord Hill.” | Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Praying mantis Photo: Jack Collins
Chaplin, CT. Raspberry and praying mantis. | Photo: Jack Collins
Pileated woodpecker Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. “Pileated woodpecker at the base of a cherry tree.” | Photo: Chantal Caron
Bingo brook Photo: Ken Hatch
Rochester, VT. “Bingo Brook in the Green Mountain National Forest.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Milkweed Photo: Sue Mayotte
Vienna, ME. “Blowing in the wind.” | Photo: Sue Mayotte
Adirondack corgis Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “My wife Nancy with our two corgis enjoying a remote Adirondack lake.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Turkeytail mushrooms Photo: Karen Stocker
Granville, MA. “Turkey tail mushrooms found on a decaying tree branch in Granville State Forest.” | Photo: Karen Stocker
Red squirrel Photo: Chantal Caron
Rockingham, VT. “Red squirrel.” | Photo: Chantal Caron
Basin formations Photo: Judy Sweet
Lincoln, NH. “One of the many stunning cascades and rock formations along the trails at The Basin.” | Photo: Judy Sweet

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