late summer milkweed seedpods
Photographer: Rochelle Davis (Photo of Distinction)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 pair
Photographer: Jaime Bochet
May 6, 2024Private Old Lyme Habitat
We’d had a single barred owl visiting the perimeter of our yard for several weeks, but then one morning we looked out and saw a mate with them. They relaxed on this sapling for several hours.
Dinner time for baby owls
Photographer: Jaime Bochet
May 11, 2024Private Old Lyme habitat
As evening approached, one of the parent owls brought a fresh meal for the fledglings. It was incredible to watch them feed the babies.
Bumblebee on swamp milkweed
Photographer: Rochelle Davis
July 2024Private Lyme Habitat
The bumblebees and other pollinators love the milkweed flowers
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.
Danaus Plexippus
Photographer: Kent Girty
August 2024Jewett Preserve
Always loved these fellas as a kid and discovering them in a meadow still brings a smile and that familiar feeling of high summer.
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!
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..
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.
Roaring Brook in Fall
Photographer: Kristina White
September 2024Banningwood Preserve
The low water level allows the banks and trees to frame the water creating a calm scene of tranquility.
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?
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
