A flurry of Fungi
Photographer: Kristina White
December 4 2024Brockway Hawthorne Preserve
You don’t see a lot of mushrooms at this type of year but these fungi didn’t get the memo – they were luxuriating in the sun like it was Spring!
Trail Stewardship
Photographer: Denise Gravatt
November 2024
Walbridge Preserve
Trail stewardship is essential for keeping our trails open for recreation. Hiking is fun, chainsawing is even more fun!
Fallen Chestnut Oak Leaf in Selden Creek Preserve
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
November 2024Selden Creek Preserve
The many colors of the leaf, and the small parts eaten by an insect, are a beautiful contrast and show the change that happens in fall.
Honeybee on Stonecrop Sedum
Photographer: Mary Powell StLouis (Photo of Distinction)
September 2024Private Lyme Habitat
Foraging for late summer pollen this honeybee found a bumper crop in nearby stonecrop sedum in Lyme.
Barred owl fledglings
Photographer: Jaime Bochet
May 11, 2024Private Old Lyme Habitat
A few days after seeing both owls, we got an incredible surprise: their babies! They were on a dead tree maybe 50 yards into the woods, so I got a longer lens to get a closer look. They hung out for several hours, with mom and dad close by.
Winter’s Embrace
Photographer: Kerrie Pensiero
January 2024
Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve
Winter hiking can get pretty drab if there’s not much snow. When I saw this snow on the tree stump, it looked like a heart. With a little help from me, I formed it a little better for this photo💕
Mt. Archer Woods – Tulip Tree Grove in Winter
Photographer: Steven Hoyt (Photo of Distinction)
February – 2024
Mt. Archer Woods Preserve
There are actually a couple of tulip tree groves in this group of preserves – one in Mt. Archer and the other bordering the Eno and Mt. Archer preserves. This photo was taken, I believe, on trail AW in the southwest section of the Mt. Archer preserve. I love the forest depth and textures that shine through on an otherwise drab day.
A boy and his dog
Photographer: Denise Gravatt
November 2024
Walbridge Preserve
Hiking can be done in all seasons, even hunting season. Just remember to wear your orange!
Tree Soul
Photographer: Galo Sarmiento
3/16/2024
Selden Creek Preserve
Looking through the hole left in a still standing tree
Trail Gift
Photographer: Birgit Musheno
September 23, 2024Pleasant Valley Preserve
A flower token left along the trail one day by an unknown fellow hiker, an uplifting sign of communal joy in nature.
Wild Grapes
Photographer: Tori Harris
06/24Roaring Brook Preserve
Kade exploring the brook bed.
Backyard Sunrise
Photographer: Sharon
10/26/2024Home
Early morning sunrise.
My grandniece was born this morning, I wanted to one day show her the beautiful sunrise on her special day.
Growth
Photographer: Christine Tappe
10/12/2024Ravine Trail
As we set out to hike the Ravine Trail for the first time I was struck by the beauty of a young sapling growing out of (and through) the root ball of an old tree. A simple reminder that life always finds a way to carry on.
Fall Water Lily at Hartman Park
Photographer: Rich Sanders
September 28, 2024Hartman Park, Right of Way
I've always associated fall colors with trees and shrubs. Here, I lucked-out capturing a water lily in its autumn glory at a location so familiar to many. With the beaver lodge in focus I shot low as if I were in the water. For me, the raindrops on the lens and the clouds above drive home this change of seasons.
Erratic
Photographer: Christine Tappe
09/22/2024Johnston Preserve
I never tire of the geology to be found in our native woodlands. The cool tones of this glacial erratic set against a backdrop of early fall color was calling out for a photo stop as we hiked the Johnson Preserve (white trail) .
late summer milkweed seedpods
Photographer: Rochelle Davis (Photo of Distinction, People’s Vision Award 2024)
September 2024Grassy Hill Preserve
The milkweed seedpods stand up like a candelabra, and as they open, the seeds pop out with their white downy parachute to ride the winds away.
A Late Summer Leaf
Photographer: Kent Girty
September 2024Mount Archer Woods
I love how sunlight on moss highlights anything one finds sitting on top.
Creates a color contrast I find so visually appealing – like this tiny leaf with its mighty color set against the plush moss.
Swamp Milkweed Pod
Photographer: Birgit Musheno
September 23, 2024Private Lyme Habitat
Swamp Milkweed seeds ready to disperse on the breeze from their supporting pod. The parent plant arrived from just such a seed, a surprise and welcome arrival in a new meadow converted from lawn.
Inverted V
Photographer: Kristina White
December 2024Brockway Hawthorne
An eternal symbol seen throughout the world
Burning Bush
Photographer: Sue York
October 2024Pleasant Valley Preserve
Burning bush
Iced Lodge
Photographer: Birgit Musheno
December 14, 2024Thach Preserve
A beaver lodge and some brush in thin ice. The ice and weather created a spectrum of typical winter colors from purplish blue through golds, tans and greys.
Early morning at the farm
Photographer: Adam McEwen
April 2024Tiffany’s farm
On my way to work
A double Stack
Photographer: Kristina White
December 2024Brovckway Hawthorne Preserve
the fungi look like shelves waiting for a squirrel to store its nuts for later
The Special Thin Rock
Photographer: Michael Lloyd
September 2024Mount Archer Woods – Town of Lyme
There is a really thin rock with shadows from the sun that created the look of a Face on the rock to the left and a skeleton face just above the tip of the thin rock..
Contrasts in spring
Photographer: AK Li
May 2024Jewett Preserve
Northern Lights on Hamburg Cove
Photographer: Gina McEwen
May 2024Hamburg Cove skies at the HCYC
On the weekend of May 10th, the northern lights were visible in our own town/ backyard. Foto taken on Hamburg Cove Yatch Club skies
Winter Water
Photographer: Denise Gravatt
December 2024
Private Lyme Habitat
A frosty Christmas Day walk revealed ice crystals and typical beautiful Lyme rocks, water and woodland
Sumac at Pleasant Valley
Photographer: Sarah Prineas
Dec 21, 2024Pleasant Valley in Lyme
Sumac berries in a snowy field
Bumblebee on swamp milkweed
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
July 2024Private Lyme Habitat
The bumblebees and other pollinators love the milkweed flowers
Spring in Lyme at Sterling City Preserve
Photographer: Gina McEwen
End of May 2024Sterling City Preserve
Sunset in Lyme. Walking in our street we were lucky to enjoy this beautiful sunset.
Trout lily
Photographer: AK Li
AprilBanningwood Preserve
Spring fungus
Photographer: AK Li
May 2024Banningwood Preserve
White-pored Chicken of the woods
Rainbow Over Falls Brook
Photographer: Andrew Onderdonk
June 2024Back door…233 Hamburg Rd
Brilliant rainbow after light, late afternoon rain
Fun Guys
Photographer: Doug White (Photo of Distinction – Honorable Mention)
October 3, 2024
Ravine Trail, Joshua Town Rd
I laid down and took a selfie next to chicken of the woods fungi on an old log next to the trail to give perspective of its size. Wow. A startling phenomenon of the wilds.
Bumble Bee on Mountain Mint
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
September 2024Private Habitat
The Mountain Mint is a favorite of bees and other small pollinators, who are very good at ignoring the photographer.
Reflection
Photographer: D Holmes
Early Fall October 2024Nehantic State Forest
Early Fall foliage on Norwich Pond ..a very serene and clear day.
