Membership Month Photo Contest

Membership Month Photo Contest: Winners & Gallery

Thank you to everyone who shared a glimpse of Connecticut’s wild beauty with us this September. This year’s contest invited members to celebrate birds and nature close to home. Your images remind us why local conservation matters. From backyard feeders to coastal marshes, your photos celebrate the birds, habitats, and moments we protect together. Explore the winners below, then enjoy the full gallery of finalists—each image taken right here in Connecticut by our amazing community.
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BEHAVIORS FINALIST GALLERY

: Sami Centore -Turkey Vulture

: Rick Kollmeyer – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Kelly Siranko – Barn Swallows

: Glenn Ellsworth – Raptor

: Douglas J. Van Tornhout – Woodpeckers

: Caren Dickman – Herons

: Becky Miller – Tree Swallows

NATURE/LANDSCAPE FINALISTS

: Alison Wilcox – Raccoon

: Marge Ellington – Barn

: Jeffrey Kohan -Tree in Field

: Tom Ouellette – Winter Oak

: Tom Ouellette – Trichaptum Kaleidoscope

BACKYARD WILDLIFE FINALISTS

: Alison Wilcox – Elephant Mosquito

: Steven Jacqmin – Deer

: Jeffrey Kohan – Pipevine Swallowtail

: Carol Skog – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Ashley Cumberledge -Flying Squirrel

: Lisa Jarosik – Fox

BIRDS FINALIST GALLERY

: Doug Van Tornhout – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Glenn Ellsworth – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Jeffrey Kohan – Yellowlegs

: Glenn Ellsworth – Sharp-Shinned

: Kelly Siranko – Red-winged Black

: Balint Toth – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Alison Wilcox – Red-Shouldered Hawk

: Linda Miller – Grebe

: Lisa Jarosik – Eagles

: Lisa Jarosik – Fish Crow

: Lisa Jarosik – Osprey

: Lisa Jarosik – Screech Owl

: Richard Stone – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

: Sami Centore – Osprey

: Linda Miller – Cormorant

: Ken Winkler – Mockingbird

: Ken Winkler – Red Knot

: Richard Stone – Bald Eagle

: Sami Centore – Goldfinch

: Tom Ouellette – American Avocet

: Becky Miller – Nelsons Sparrow

: Tom Saunders – Yellowlegs

WINNERS

Birds — First Place

“Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Lilac” by Balint Toth

“A second bloom of our backyard lilac this September became a magnet for migrating hummingbirds. This young ruby-throated male is sipping the dew-drops out of one of the autumn blooms.”

Birds — Second Place

“American Goldfinch” by Sami Centore

“An American Goldfinch poses for a brief portrait atop a potted plant in the backyard (Shelton) before absolutely demolishing the flower. I was glad I could provide this friend with a delectable snack even if it was the only bud about to bloom on my plant. 🙂 Taken with my telephoto lens through the living room window that looks out to the backyard.”

Birds — Third Place

“Double-crested Cormorant” by Linda Miller
“This Double-crested Cormorant gave me practice naming feather groups.”

Behaviors — First Place

“Barn Swallows” by Kelly Siranko

“While I’m used to seeing Barn Swallows dart around the fields at Tarrywile it was a welcome surprise to be able to watch these newly fledged juveniles resting and being fed by a group of adults.”

Behaviors — Second Place

“Ruby-throated Hummingbird ” by Rick Kollmeyer
“Sometimes you get nectar. Sometimes you get a flower stuck on your beak”

Behaviors — Third Place

“Raptor” by Glenn Ellsworth

Nature/Landscape — First Place

“Trichaptum Kaleidoscope” by Tom Ouellette

“A spectacular explosion of trichaptum fungi was found one autumn on a decaying log in a woodland pool at Valley Falls Park, Vernon, CT. Taken at a unique moment in time, this phenomenon was not seen again.”

Nature/Landscape — Second Place

“Tree in Fog” by Jeffrey Kohan
“Hammo with early morning fog”

Nature/Landscape — Third Place

“Vintage Barn” by Marge Ellington
“Vintage barn — taken on Main St. Sterling CT.”

Backyard Wildlife — First Place

“Dad Portrait” by Lisa Jarosik

“A fox in a friend’s backyard.”

Backyard Wildlife — Second Place

“Toxorhynchites” by Alison Wilcox
“Toxorhynchites, also called elephant mosquito sipping nectar from a butterfly weed flower”

Backyard Wildlife — Third Place

Flying Squirrel.” by Ashley Cumberledge

OVERALL WINNER

“American Avocet” by Tom Ouellette

Thank you so much for submitting your incredible photos to our Membership Month Photo Contest! We were amazed by the creativity, variety, and skill shown in all the entries — it was such a fun contest to review.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!
Your stunning images stood out for their artistry, emotion, and connection to the natural world.

To everyone who entered — please keep capturing and sharing the beauty of nature.

Each photo you take helps bring the wonder of the outdoors to others and inspires more people to care about protecting it.

Together, through your images and your passion, we continue to show that nature is worth celebrating — and worth protecting.