Lunch Spot
Photographer: Christine Tappe
9/28/2024Selden Creek Preserve
The white trail brought us to a beautiful overlook of the flood plain, creek and Selden Island. Not only did we have lunch with a view, but we heard nothing but birdsong and rustling leaves all around us. It's not often that you find a spot with no man-made noise encroaching on your outdoor experience.
Leaves
Photographer: Sue York
October 2024Pleasant Valley Preserve
River leaves
Inverted V
Photographer: Kristina White
December 2024Brockway Hawthorne
An eternal symbol seen throughout the world
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.
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.
Amongst Giants
Photographer: Kristina White
March 2024
Pleasant Valley
Looking up makes one feel small but a part of something vast
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..
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.
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.
Mountain Laurel Blossom
Photographer: Kent Girty
May, 2022Selden Creek
The mountain laurel was adopted as Connecticut's state flower on April 17, 1907. Here a beam of sunshine directly shown through the canopy to so beautifully illuminate this perfect blossom.
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.
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) .
Tree Soul
Photographer: Galo Sarmiento
3/16/2024
Selden Creek Preserve
Looking through the hole left in a still standing tree
Wild Grapes
Photographer: Tori Harris
06/24Roaring Brook Preserve
Kade exploring the brook bed.
Interstate 95 by Water.
Photographer: Doug White
September 14, 2024Lieutenant River
Kayaking on a beautiful day.
Late Summer at Uncas Lake
Photographer: Rich Sanders (Photo of Distinction)
September 16, 2024Uncas Lake, Nehantic State Forest
With sunny days, cool nights, and leaves starting to change, there's still time for a late summer swim and a look-see above and below the water.
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.
Rainbow Over Falls Brook
Photographer: Andrew Onderdonk
June 2024Back door…233 Hamburg Rd
Brilliant rainbow after light, late afternoon rain
Bumblebee on swamp milkweed
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
July 2024Private Lyme Habitat
The bumblebees and other pollinators love the milkweed flowers
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
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.
Spring at Hamburg Cove
Photographer: Adam McEwen
June 2024Hamburg Cove, Lyme
Kids paddle boarding at the cove. Foto taken from the bridge at Cove road.
Longevity
Photographer: David Luke (Photo of Distinction – Honorable Mention)
9/25/2024
Johnston Preserve
Unique distortion and shape of main trunk of this large mature tree tucked away off the trails in Johnston preserve. Amazing that with the distortion in main trunk, it has withstood the test of time and has not fallen -longevity
Newts
Photographer: Dave Brown
May 2024Jewett Preserve
Morning walk newt’s meandering on the trail.
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.
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.
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
Butterfly on Mexican sunflower
Photographer: Kristina White
August 2024Private habitat in Lyme
I noticed this butterfly dancing on the flower and realized what a beautiful backdrop!
Last of the Oak Leaves
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
November 2024Selden Creek Preserve
The red oak and its companions against the blue sky show us the beauty of looking up, as well as looking down and around.
Early morning at the farm
Photographer: Adam McEwen
April 2024Tiffany’s farm
On my way to work
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💕
Green between the leaves
Photographer: Bryn Souza (Photo of Distinction – Honorable Mention)
3/16/24
Selden creek preserve
The contrast in colors on the forest floor is fun to see
Asclepias
Photographer: Kent Girty (Photo of Distinction)
June 2024Private pollinator garden
Milkweed flowers and buds.
On the lookout for the wonderfully colorful monarch butterfly larvae and was intrigued by this flower and bud set against the green.
Indian Pipe
Photographer: Kent Girty
August 2024Jewett Preserve
Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant, ghost pipe, or Indian pipe. One of my favorite finds in the forest. This one is an unusual pink color. Actually not a fungus but a parasite that feeds off fungus Mycorrhizae. It’s in the same family as blueberries, cranberries, azaleas, and Rhododendrons. Who knew?
Tree at Tiffany
Photographer: Birgit Musheno
January 16, 2024
Tiffany Farm, Sterling City Rd., Lyme CT
Tree in winter viewed from old farm structures, on land under conservation easement for agricultural use.