“In wildness is the preservation of the world.”    Henry David Thoreau

One of the true gems of the “downeast” Maine area, in which I live, is the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. I’m fortunate to live just a few miles from its boundary and I frequently utilize its many roads and trails to go running, snowshoeing and hiking. It’s also a great location to search out photo opportunities. There’s abundant wildlife and numerous ponds and streams which provide endless settings for the nature photographer. It’s particularly appealing in the autumn when the fall colors are putting on their annual display. Now that the trees are bare and winter is once again knocking at the door, I thought I’d share some of the photos I’ve shot in the refuge over the last few months.

I photographed this group of loons during an early morning kayak venture on Bearce Lake, which is located within the wilderness area of the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. Other than the loons, I had the lake to myself and they seemed to not be bothered by my presence in the least bit.

Below are a few more shots I took while out trying to capture the autumn colors.