What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

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!).

It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s…?

While driving north from New York City to New Hampshire, reader Liam Coyle spotted this large flock flying overhead, just after crossing into Connecticut on I-95. What are these birds?

Answer

These are great blue herons migrating to their breeding grounds. Herons’ migratory behavior is variable; some migrate solo, others in groups of 3 to 12 birds, and occasionally in larger groups.  (To learn more about great blue heron migration, check out the Forest & Wildlife Monitoring column from the Winter issue of Northern Woodlands).

This week’s contest winner was Linda Emmanuel