Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.
Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).
We found this twig with fuzzy buds and distinctive smiley face bud scars in rich, rocky woods. What tree species is this from?
This is a butternut (Juglans cinerea) twig, a native tree in the walnut family. Butternuts are afflicted by a fungal disease that there is currently no cure for and are declining throughout their range.
This week’s contest winner was Lynda Fournier