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October 18th, 2023 Reader Photo Gallery

September 2023

This September, everything was coming up slime molds. And dragonflies, with a side of frogs. In New Boston, New Hampshire, Bill-lee Abbott discovered a beautiful specimen of Xanthotype moth. In Wisconsin, Mary Heide enjoyed the view from the shore of Westrich Lake, and in Plainfield, Massachusetts, Richard Philben fulfilled the celebrity dreams of a duck. Check out Igor Zlokarnik’s cool photo of a bryozoan colony.

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

Leaf miner tracks Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Poplar leaf miner tracks. If you look carefully you can see the ‘artist’ at the end of the trail!” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Hemitrichia slime mold Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Lyman, NH. “Young fruit bodies of a species of Hemitrichia slime mold.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Great blue heron Photo: Jennifer Cummings
Akron, NY. “A great blue heron waiting for its next catch.” | Photo: Jennifer Cummings
Bullfrog Photo: Deb Clough
Grafton, NH. “Bullfrog hanging out at Lower Hall Pond.” | Photo: Deb Clough
Fall foliage Photo: Mary Heide
Taylor County, WI. “View from the shore of Westrich Lake in the Chequamegon Forest.” | Photo: Mary Heide
Tigerseye fungi Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “Siblings.” Tiger’s eye fungi often appear in pairs. | Photo: Stephen Fox
Osprey Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Trout Run, PA. “Ospreys don’t breed in north central Pennsylvania, but we frequently see them during migration.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Grasshopper Photo: Galen Kilbride
Antrim, NH. “Grasshopper tentatively peeks...” | Photo: Galen Kilbride
Xanthotype moth Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
New Boston, NH. “Xanthotype moth.” | Photo: Bill-lee Abbott
Little brown bats Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “The little brown bat responsible for all the droppings on my porch makes an appearance.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Yellow jewelweed Photo: Katie
Canoe Creek, PA. “Yellow jewelweed.” (Also called pale touch-me-not.) | Photo: Katie
Abandoned nest Photo: Bonita Choly
Pownal, VT. “Abandoned nest on limestone wall.” | Photo: Bonita Choly
Purple pitcher plant Photo: Richard Philben
Whittingham, VT. Purple pitcherplant in bloom, taken in Sadawga Lake. This carnivorous plant uses leaf-formed pitchers (not shown) to trap insects and other small prey. | Photo: Richard Philben
Beaver tree work Photo: Lisa Martens
Peterborough, NH. “Found fresh evidence of ambitious beavers while on a hike.” | Photo: Lisa Martens
Sunrise Photo: John Wheeler
Shelburne Falls, MA. “Sunrise Sept. 8, 2023 Wheel-View Farm. Note Mt. Monadnock, New Hampshire on left side.” | Photo: John Wheeler
Spindle coral mushroom Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Franconia, NH. “Spindle-shaped coral mushroom.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Red eft Photo: Galen Kilbride
Peterborough, NH. “Red eft in hemlock stand, less wary than some...” | Photo: Galen Kilbride
Summer hare Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “A snowshoe hare in summer coat.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Fairy inkycap Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “Probably fairy inkycap mushrooms which, unlike other inkycaps, don't dissolve into an inky mess as they age.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Hemlock regeneration Photo: Galen Kilbride
Antrim, NH. “Hemlock regeneration in a fallen brethren’s mossy log.” | Photo: Galen Kilbride
Red percher Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “This red percher dragonfly is sitting on a black-eyed Susan seed pod in Brick Yard Point, a 57-acre reclaimed brown field now restored with natural habitat.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Nodding ladies tress Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Nodding ladies’ tress (Spiranthes cernua), a native orchid.” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Spotted salamander Photo: Karinne Heise
Warner, NH. “A yellow-spotted salamander discovered curled up under a flat rock.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Waxy cap Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Cornwall, NY. “Scarlet waxy cap at Black Rock Forest, Orange County.” | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Mosaic dragonfly Photo: Steve Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Mosaic dragonfly (aka Aeshna) hovering during a patrol of the west shore of Chambers Pond.” | Photo: Steve Arcone
Elf cup Photo: Jackie Robidoux
Merrimack, NH. “Blue-green elf cup mushroom.” | Photo: Jackie Robidoux
Spruce grouse Photo: Joyce Layne
North Baldface Mt., North Chatham, NH. “Male spruce grouse.” | Photo: Joyce Layne
Slime mold Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Sugar Hill, NH. “Young fruit bodies of the slime mold Tubifera ferruginosa.” | Photo: Frank Kaczmarek
Pickerel frog Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “Found sheltered under the front steps, a pickerel frog lacking pigment.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Squirrel snack Photo: Deb Clough
Grafton, NH. “This squirrel had a nice colorful snack on some colorful rocks in Dixville Notch.” | Photo: Deb Clough
Tiny pickerel Photo: Katie
Bar Harbor, ME. “Pint-sized pickerel frog on the carriage road near Witch Hole in Acadia N.P.” | Photo: Katie
Baby snapper Photo: Katie
Presque Isle, PA. “Baby snapper found floundering in the surf of Lake Erie.” | Photo: Katie
Violet toothed polypore Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Tenants Harbor, ME. “Freshly emerging violet toothed polypore (Trichaptum biforme).” | Photo: Kirk Gentalen
Willoughby sunset Photo: Tina Harris
Westmore, VT. “Sunset overlooking Lake Willoughby in Westmore.” | Photo: Tina Harris
Goldeneyes Photo: Karinne Heise
Errol, NH. “A couple of common goldeneyes swimming along the Androscoggin River shoreline.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Turtles Photo: Sheri Larsen
Colchester, VT. “Turtles galore! Almost 60 turtles were sunning themselves in early September. Most of the turtles were map turtles but a few on the right side of this photo were soft shell turtles.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Hobblebush Photo: Judy Sweet
Ashfield, MA. “Backlit hobblebush leaves transitioning to autumn.” | Photo: Judy Sweet
Floodplains Photo: Lee Toomey
Burlington, VT. “A brown stream carries its sediment load from the summer floods through a silver maple floodplain forest.” | Photo: Lee Toomey
Bryozoan Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Tully Lake, Royalston, MA. “Large bryozoan.” | Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Vermont sunset Photo: Leif Tillotson
Highgate Springs, VT. Lake scene. | Photo: Leif Tillotson
White breasted nuthatch Photo: Charlie Schwarz
South Williamsport, PA. “White-breasted nuthatches are one of my favorite birds, they frequent our backyard feeders.” | Photo: Charlie Schwarz
Shy mushroom Photo: Stephen Fox
Canterbury, NH. “This mushroom grew alongside and facing inward towards a large moss-covered boulder. Eventually it stood up straight.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Owlet moth caterpillar Photo: Peggy Warwick
Shelburne, MA. “Owlet moth caterpillar High Ledges Audubon Sanctuary.” | Photo: Peggy Warwick
Ladyslipper seedpod Photo: Susan Lichty
New London, NH. “Lady slipper seed pod.” | Photo: Susan Lichty
Ant in rose Photo: Amy Quist
Heath, MA. “An ant atop a rose.” | Photo: Amy Quist
Painted turtle Photo: Richard Philben
Plainfield, MA. “A painted turtle in Plainfield Pond.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Male bullfrog Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “A very large male bullfrog in our cove.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Mydas fly Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “Mydas fly browsing my hydrangeas. Note the beaded coloration of wing veins not in shadow like the rest of the wings. There is a hint of the orange band on its upper abdomen and the bluish to brownish wing color is characteristic.” | Photo: Steven Arcone
Carpenter bee Photo: Ross Lanius
North Haven, CT. “The fields and roadsides are carpeted with goldenrod, a great provider of nectar for pollinators like this carpenter bee.” | Photo: Ross Lanius
Bracket fungi Photo: Lisa Martens
Peterborough, NH. “Black bracket fungi.” | Photo: Lisa Martens
Black bear prints Photo: Sandy Dannis
Dalton, NH. “Cooling down in the mud on the way to the apple orchard. (Black bear prints)” | Photo: Sandy Dannis
Trail crossing Photo: Mary Heide
Taylor County, WI. “Crossing a bridge while hiking the Ice Age Trail.” | Photo: Mary Heide
Butterfly on aster Photo: Sheri Larsen
Essex Town, VT. “Monarch butterfly on a New England aster along a dirt road.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Dog sick slime mold Photo: Sharon Bombard
Lanesborough, MA. “Mucilago crustacea. (common name - dog sick slime mold)” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Beech in decline Photo: Stephen Fox
Concord, NH. “I have observed this large beech in an intact Hemlock forest for over 30 years. In the last 3 years it has declined significantly with conks and bark loss.” | Photo: Stephen Fox
Hiker on Saddleback Mountain Photo: Karinne Heise
Rangeley, ME. “Hiker descending from the summit of Saddleback Mountain.” | Photo: Karinne Heise
Deer shadow Photo: Tamara Richards
Stowe, VT. “Sitting silently on a dock this deer approached, stopped and watched me as I watched her. Magical nature presenting itself.” | Photo: Tamara Richards
Green darner dragonfly Photo: Jay Remington
Bedford, MA. “Green darner dragonfly.” | Photo: Jay Remington
Blue stemmed goldenrod Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Cornwall, NY. “Blue stemmed goldenrod at Black Rock Forest, Orange County.” Another name for this plant is axillary goldenrod. | Photo: Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch
Yellownecked caterpillars Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Mount Tully, Royalston, MA. Yellownecked caterpillars, Datana ministra, which develop into moths in the family Notodontidae. | Photo: Igor Zlokarnik
Twin fawns Photo: Jennifer Cummings
Akron, NY. “Twin fawns slowly losing their spots.” | Photo: Jennifer Cummings
Wild mountain cranberries Photo: Deb Clough
Grafton, NH. “Wild mountain cranberries made a nice bread!” | Photo: Deb Clough
Pond by Smugglers Notch Photo: Sheri Larsen
Stowe, VT. “Beaver pond with Smugglers Notch behind.” | Photo: Sheri Larsen
Bottle gentian Photo: Sharon Bombard
Lenox, MA. “Closed bottle gentian.” | Photo: Sharon Bombard
Photogenic duck Photo: Richard Philben
Plainfield, MA. “A duck that wanted to get its photo in Northern Woodlands magazine.” | Photo: Richard Philben
Buck shedding velvet Photo: Tom Grett
Lancaster County, PA. “A whitetail buck shedding velvet.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Copper Falls Photo: Mary Heide
Mellon, WI. “Copper Falls State Park, northern Wisconsin.” | Photo: Mary Heide
White admiral butterfly Photo: Tom Grett
Northern Adirondacks, NY. “A white admiral butterfly on a coneflower.” | Photo: Tom Grett
Pretty kitty Photo: Jaska Plumb
Andover, VT. “Pretty kitty visitor.” | Photo: Jaska Plumb
Monarch Photo: Steven Arcone
West Lebanon, NH. “The blue eyes and furry back of the monarch, at rest drying his wings.” | Photo: Steven Arcone

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