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November 17th, 2025 Reader Photo Gallery

October 2025

October lit up the landscape with a last, brilliant burst of color, while wildlife adjusted to shorter days and cooler temperatures. A diving beetle was still on the move, captured by Christine Young in Woodbury, Connecticut. Sandy Dannis spotted snow in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, and in Bethel, Vermont, a spring peeper made one last appearance, observed by Ken Hatch.

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

Gray squirrel Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Gray squirrels are one of the major means of regenerating oak and hickory forests as they bury nuts that are never recovered.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Autumn dogs Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Plymouth, NH. “Sunrise at Loon Lake.” | Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Herb robert Photo: Tammis Coffin
Pittsfield, MA. “Herb Robert – a surprise in the woods at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, blooming after two frosts.” | Photo: Tammis Coffin
Snow mountains Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Early snow in the Presidentials. Winter will be here before you know it!” | Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Bald eagle Photo: Stephen Fox
Webster, NH. “Bald eagle at Walker Pond.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Aster Photo: Georgia Martin
Lenox, MA. “A bi-colored agapostemon or bi-colored striped sweat bee on purple asters.” | Photo: Georgia Martin
Tamarack Photo: Scotty Gladstone
East Meredith, NY. “Needles turning on a tamarack tree.” | Photo: Scotty Gladstone
Cicada shell Photo: Liz Thompson
Williston, VT. “Cicada nymph shell at sunrise.” | Photo: Liz Thompson
Sparrow Photo: Carol Roede
Lincoln, MA. “A white-throated sparrow enjoys a berry from one of many winterberry holly bushes flourishing in the swamp.” | Photo: Carol Roede
Highland center pond Photo: Cosmo Catalano
Crawford Notch, NH. “Pond at AMC Highland Center.” | Photo: Cosmo Catalano
Yellow leaves Photo: Sue Cloutier
New Salem, MA. “The bright yellow in the forest openings in fall.” | Photo: Sue Cloutier
Diving beetle Photo: Christine Young
Woodbury, CT. “Despite the cooler temperatures, I found this predaceous diving beetle along with many other insects, still active in a small, woodland pond.” | Photo: Christine Young
Irregular earth tongue Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Vinalhaven, ME. “Irregular earth tongue (Neolecta irregularis). My friend Kat says this one looks like a candle, but I don't know about candles.” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Porcupine Photo: Carolyn E. Wheeler
Shelburne Falls, MA. “This porcupine must have encountered another animal. Likely the other one got the spiky part of the meeting!” | Photo: Carolyn E. Wheeler
Squirrel cache Photo: Penelope Harris
Cambridge, VT. “A squirrel cache in a perfect tiny bark cup.” | Photo: Penelope Harris
October peeper Photo: Ken Hatch
Bethel, VT. “Spring peeper that came out for a nice warm early October day.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Evening light Photo: Don JJ Maki
Brewster, MA. “Incoming tide at Quivet Creek while fly-fishing for stripers.” | Photo: Don JJ Maki
Autumn Photo: David Nallett
Harrisville, NH. “Maybe the last time out on Nubanusit Brook Reservoir.” | Photo: David Nallett
Egrets Photo: Ross Lanius
Madison, CT. “Found two great egrets foraging in the Salt Marsh at Hammonasset State Park. The red is Virginia glasswort. The leaves are edible.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Witch hazel Photo: Gwen Nagel
Bridgton, ME. “Delicate witch-hazel blooms in October.” | Photo: Gwen Nagel
Heron Photo: Richard Philben
Whittingham, VT. “A heron surveying the pond from its perch.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Goldenrods Photo: Hannah McGhee
Nobleboro, ME. “Caught these male bumble bees snoozing on a goldenrod flower one recent chilly morning.” | Photo: Hannah McGhee
Colorful hills Photo: Penelope Harris
Cambridge, VT. Still a lot of color in the hills. | Photo: Penelope Harris
Autumn color Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “Late October puddle reflections.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Wildlife camera Photo: Jeffrey Kiplinger
Hudson, NY. “I shot a small buck during early bow season and put a game camera on the gut pile. Had several mature and immature bald eagles, but this shot was a surprise!” | Photo: Jeffrey Kiplinger
Frost Photo: Jen Adams
Campton, NH. “First frost on bee balm.” | Photo: Jen Adams
Fruiting hawthorne Photo: Judy Sweet
Shelburne, MA. “Hawthorn tree loaded with fruit, which ripens in fall and can be a good food source for wildlife all winter.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Wildlife Photo: Stephen J. Poklemba
Brattleboro, VT. “Wildfire.” | Photo: Stephen J. Poklemba
Hooded owlet Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Isle au Haut, ME. “Goldenrod hooded owlet moth caterpillar.” | Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Otter spraint Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Vinalhaven, ME. “Otter spraint on seaside goldenrod. The yin and yang of nature at its finest!” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Fern Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bolton, VT. “Interesting color patterns on the leaves of this interrupted fern. There are lots of ferns along the trail at Honey Hollow in Camel’s Hump State Forest.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Sycamore Photo: Liz Thompson
Colchester, VT. “Sycamore in the Winooski Floodplain.” | Photo: Liz Thompson
Super moon Photo: Lynette Reep
Burlington, VT. “The super moon rises over Mount Mansfield illuminated by the glow of sunset.” | Photo: Lynette Reep
Dark eyed junco Photo: Marie Rainville
Franklin, VT. “Dark-eyed junco. Neat contrast with the leaves.” | Photo: Marie Rainville
Saco river Photo: Mary Small
Hart’s Location, NH. “Saco River in extreme drought.” | Photo: Mary Small
Locust borer Photo: Penelope Harris
Cambridge, VT. “A locust borer - a type of longhorn beetle. A serious pest of the black locust tree.” | Photo: Penelope Harris
Deer Photo: Richard Philben
Millinocket, ME. “A couple of deer checking me out near Baxter State Park.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Oyster mushrooms Photo: Jen Adams
Alexandria, NH. “Oyster mushroom party, Sugarloaf Ridge-Goose Pond Conservation Area.” | Photo: Jen Adams
Pitcher plants Photo: Ken Hatch
Springfield, VT. “Purple pitcher plants and sphagnum moss at North Springfield Bog.” | Photo: Ken Hatch
Grouse Photo: Richard Philben
Millinocket, ME. “A grouse in Baxter State Park.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Hornets nest Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Dalton, NH. “A hornet nest way up high on the trunk of a birch tree.” | Photo: Sandy Miklas Dannis
Blanket flower Photo: Karen Dapp
South Williamsport, PA. “Summer’s bloom – the blanket flower – still thriving in October, wearing fall colors beautifully!” | Photo: Karen Dapp
Winter wren Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Winter wrens frequent the banks of shaded woodland streams and are often year-round residents.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Familiar bluet Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Isle au Haut, ME. “Familiar bluet damselfly on fading cattail.” | Photo: Katherine Fiveash
Nuthatch Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Red-breasted nuthatch. There are gagillions in the mid-coast Maine coniferous forests these days.” | Photo: Kirk T. Gentalen
Monarch Photo: Karen Dapp
Warrensville, PA. “Fall colors are worn by summer icons - a monarch butterfly and goldenrod in October.” | Photo: Karen Dapp
Pulpit Photo: Judy Sweet
Conway, MA. “Jack in the pulpit fruit adds its own color to the autumn woods.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Smithfield trail Photo: Scott Ruhren
North Smithfield, RI. “On a recent walk with a landowner for Forestry for the Birds management project.” | Photo: Scott Ruhren
Purple sunset Photo: Stephen Poklemba
Wilmington, VT. “Last Marlboro, Vermont, sunset before heading back to Idaho.” | Photo: Stephen Poklemba

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