American Giant Millipede
Photographer: Birgit Musheno
May 2025Jewett Preserve
Millipede investigating lichen-covered rock..
Ice sheet
Photographer: Kent Girty (Photo of Distinction)
January 2024
Eight Mile River Pleasant Valley
Paper thin delicate ice formation crystallized as the water under it disappeared. Wonderful shapes suspended above the ground on this super delicate formation. Well at least until the pupp steps on them….
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.
Green door
Photographer: Kristina White
February 2024
Johnston Preserve
A door to another world
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.
Leaves
Photographer: Sue York
October 2024Pleasant Valley Preserve
River leaves
Newts
Photographer: Dave Brown
May 2024Jewett Preserve
Morning walk newt’s meandering on the trail.
Rainbow Over Falls Brook
Photographer: Andrew Onderdonk
June 2024Back door…233 Hamburg Rd
Brilliant rainbow after light, late afternoon rain
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.
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
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) .
A Tree Inside of a Tree
Photographer: Michael Lloyd
September 2024Mount Archer Woods – Town of Lyme
The Tree looks like it has another tree inside of it.
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.
Amongst Giants
Photographer: Kristina White
March 2024
Pleasant Valley
Looking up makes one feel small but a part of something vast
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.
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!
Downed Tree New Life
Photographer: Galo Sarmiento (Photo of Distinction)
3/16/2024Selden Creek Preserve
The number of downed trees at Selden Preserve make room for new life.
Cows at the farm
Photographer: Adam McEwen (Photo of Distinction)
May 2024Tiffany’s farm
Foggy day at the farm in a Spring morning in Lyme
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.
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.
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!
Ice Over the River
Photographer: Kent Girty
January 2024
Eight Mile River I think still in Pleasant Valley.
Fascinating and dramatic ice formation created as just the right conditions, cold snap freezing water vapor, conspired to form these wonderful shapes. Clear as crystal. Needed care not to slip in…
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💕
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!
Inverted V
Photographer: Kristina White
December 2024Brockway Hawthorne
An eternal symbol seen throughout the world
Trout lily
Photographer: AK Li
AprilBanningwood Preserve
Tree Soul
Photographer: Galo Sarmiento
3/16/2024
Selden Creek Preserve
Looking through the hole left in a still standing tree
Robin’s Egg
Photographer: Kent Girty
May, 2024Johnston Preserve
Always a delight to see these colorful signs of new life in springtime.
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.
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.
Spring fungus
Photographer: AK Li
May 2024Banningwood Preserve
White-pored Chicken of the woods
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?
Wendy
Photographer: Dave Brown
June 2024Pleasant Valley Preserve
Wendy learning to be comfortable in the water.
Sumac at Pleasant Valley
Photographer: Sarah Prineas
Dec 21, 2024Pleasant Valley in Lyme
Sumac berries in a snowy field
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
Welcome to Tiffany’s
Photographer: Lisa Tiffany Simiola (Photo of Distinction)
October 2023Tiffany Farms
A mountain of a man with no days off still gets soft now and then.
Subject: John J. Tiffany III, modern day cowboy
