I am still fighting with this program - which is not typical - grrrrrr…... I am continuing to work on more Ripley photos for you - I am thrilled so many of you have enjoyed seeing those stunning birds! I promise - more will be coming from Ripley and my other incredible adventures in the Litchfield Hills.

Inserting my text between photos is one of the issues that I am having so I will share all of my commentary before the photos.

This morning I went to Bullitt as it looked like we would have a heavy frost overnight - and we sure did. It was 28 degrees with no wind when I arrived. Since my morning with the hoar frost in Hawley I have been hoping for some frosty conditions again so that I could try photographing them with my new lens. It was not a hoar frost at Bullitt this morning but it was a very good heavy frost. All of today’s photos are handheld with my new lens - no tripod..

For four days last week I was in the beautiful Litchfield Hills area of Connecticut. I spent as many hours outdoors as possible exploring the many trails in this stunning part of CT. In addition to exploring nature trails I had the good fortune to have booked 4 hours privately at the Ripley Water Fowl Conservancy. I had known nothing about this incredible organization until I had been preparing and researching for my trip. On their website there was a section for photographers so of course I immediately checked it out. I was absolutely floored - they offer 4 hours of private time for

This is the continuation of my Saturday morning incredible outing at the Hawley Bog. As I mentioned… just as the dream-like color show in the hoarfrost ended the bird song exploded. As I continue to replay the morning back in my mind over and over - maybe the bird song was happening all along and I just couldn’t take it all in at once. That honestly could be the case - it was all so incredible. It was a landscape I dream of and I was in the middle of it.

As soon as I finished with the color show shots I immediately

There are no words to adequately describe my outing this morning at the Hawley Bog Preserve….. spellbinding is the best word that I can think of…. pure Lorraine Magic! Truly spectacular - start to finish!

I am breaking this up into two posts…. this first one is landscapes only with no birds. And omg the birds!! :). I planned on going this morning because I thought there was a great chance of hoarfrost. Hawley is a good 40-45 min from our house - so up and out I went

There is nothing like New England in the fall. So far we have had one gorgeous day after the other - truly incredible. This morning I went to Bullitt and it was absolutely stunning. The usual - arrived at Bullitt before sunrise - no wind - but warmer than usual - 57 degrees. This past week I bought myself a new lens ( Canon 70-200) and this was my first outing taking it out. A few months ago I bought a new contraption from Cotton Carrier that lets me carry a second camera a lot more easily. I put my new lens on the camera that I would use in my new carrying contraption and carried my big zoom lens and tripod as usual - off I went.

Recently I went to Edge Hill in Ashfield for my early morning outing. Yet another gorgeous morning - high 40’s, no wind and not a cloud in the sky when I started out before sunrise. I did my usual loop up and around the property and was not really having much luck seeing or hearing birds - but it was all still beautiful. I decided to end by going down towards the lower field and just wander around and watch the sun come up over that field. . The sun was just getting ready to pop out above the tree line to my left when I decided to just set up right there and scan the field below.

This post is a combination of my last couple of mornings in Lenox at the Pleasant Valley MA Audubon property. I never saw the heron again after the first morning. I am so thrilled that so many of you enjoyed the Heron and Full Moon post - thanks so much for your posts, texts, VMs and emails - I sincerely appreciate them.The second morning I went around the Audubon property in the exact order that I had done it during the first morning - another picture perfect September morning. No humidity, 50 degrees and no wind. As I was going around on the trail I heard a pair of Barred Owls

WOW!!! What a morning I had…I am in Lenox for a few days exploring the nature preserves out here. I drove out Monday and went to the three different preserves that day to do my scouting. I can’t stop thinking about yesterday morning because it was so incredible. I booked these three nights so that I would be out here with the full moon setting in the mornings.

I arrived very early at the Pleasant Valley MA Audubon property yesterday morning- no surprise.:) I had spent quite a bit of time

I am finally ready to share this post with all of you. I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time for two mornings in a row on 8/30 and 8/31 at Bullitt. Fall warbler migration was in full swing both of those mornings. Once I found my spot I set up and honestly I could not keep up because there were so many warblers zipping around right where I was! I thought I would number the photos I need help with …so if Dan or Allan or anyone else wants to respond with their input as to the identifications of the various birds I would really appreciate it - thank you! I have tried through Merlin

This is not the order that I had planned to share with you from my Labor Day Weekend outings… but I have changed my mind and will start with this morning and share Saturday and Sunday morning another time. I want to first start by thanking Dan and Allan for helping me with the identifications of birds that I either don’t know or get mixed up - thank you both very much. When I do post my sightings from Saturday and Sunday Dan and Allan will have their work cut out for them - I was in the right place at the right time to see and photograph so many warblers - and so many that I can’t

On the mornings that I am able to go out I continue to head to Bullitt. The sounds, colors and feel of a new season making its way in are absolutely everywhere. Lately the mornings have been around 50 degrees with no wind - absolutely spectacular. I thought I would start this post with a video of a glorious sunrise last Tuesday. For this post I am combining shots from a few mornings - all at Bullitt.

Before I begin and forget again I was asked what kind of equipment

I am thrilled that so many of you enjoyed the last post - that was a special morning. Speaking of special mornings - I had another one this morning - back at Bullitt.

Here goes -

I left the house earlier enough to see the spectacular full moon setting - always a special way to start an outing. I arrived at Bullitt - no wind and 57 degrees - beautiful. As soon as I get out of the car I

You all certainly know by now that early morning is my favorite time of the entire day. One of my absolute favorite parts of the early morning is when the sun makes it first appearance and its rays cast bright brilliant low light across the land or water. It is the kind of light that if you look directly at it you feel like it will blind you. When this light occurs I know that I am going to see colors as rich as anything I will ever see throughout the rest of the day. I try to position myself to take the best advantage possible of where the light will hit.

My last sighting of the adorable Fogo fox family was in the dying light of yet another incredible day for me on Fogo. I decided I would go after dinner and see if I had any luck seeing the family - did I ever - I saw them instantly! I had two challenges - the dying light and where to set up. I finally picked my spot and as soon as I did I lost sight of them - the three kits were running around like crazy! I was looking directly into the sun, away from the sun, and all around for them.

I need to start by making a correction - Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield, MA is owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR). Hilltown Land Trust is an affiliate of TTOR. This is a longer post than most but I thought it was best to share this incredible morning from start to finish. Sit back and relax - it is now time to come alone with me…

I was back at Bullitt - an absolutely beautiful morning - no wind and 50 degrees - just stunning. I knew that I wanted to spend all of my

I’ll be jumping back and forth with various posts as I will always be behind sharing my posts with you. I have very good intentions but…

I knew that I wanted another very early morning at Tilting Harbor so my wonderful guide picked me up again around 4:15 and off we went. My dear guide - you know who you are - thank you again! Tilting is on the eastern side of Fogo Island- an incredible place to catch a sunrise. An incredible place any time of the day…

Picking up where we left off with yesterday morning’s outing at Bullitt…. The lighting continued to get better and better and the parade of impressive birds continued. One of the many reasons that I love Bullitt so much is that there are great opportunities for me to set up with the sun behind me while looking into the woods along the upper field. I so love the sunlight breaking through into the woods creating intense splashes of light.

My luck continued… next I spotted a Black Throated Green warbler!

I will share much more from Fogo another day… I am thrilled that you are enjoying the Fogo posts as much as I am enjoying sharing them with you! I see that some of the wonderful people that I meant on my Fogo trip have signed up for my blog - thank you so very much - I miss all of you. For you newcomers… Bullitt Reservation is part of the non-profit Hilltown Land Trust in Ashfield, MA. I spend countless mornings there - I absolutely love it.

I am very excited to share this morning’s outing -

All of the puffin shots, and there will be countless puffin shots in my posts, are dedicated to Captain Tony and his First Mate, Aidan. Without these two incredible men I would not have had the experience of a lifetime and I would not have seen a single puffin while on Fogo Island. Not only was I in the safest of hands but I sincerely thank them for their patience while I took countless, and I mean countless, shots!

I would also like to say to everyone that I had the good fortune to meet on Fogo Island that you all touched my deeply.

My list of reasons for wanting to visit Fogo Island was quite a long list… at the top of the list - Atlantic Puffins! This is the time of year that massive amounts of puffins make their way to Newfoundland in order to breed. When they are not breeding they spend their lives bobbing out in the ocean feeding on small fish. On Tuesday I went out on a fishing boat about 4.5 miles off the shore of Fogo Island with an incredible Captain and First Mate to go see the puffins!