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!).

Hole-y Snow

We came across this hole in the snow while cross-country skiing through the woods. What happened here?

Answer

A ruffed grouse emerged – in a flurry of wings and feathers – from its roost under the snow. For more about snow roosts and other adaptations ruffed grouse use to survive winters, check out this Tracking Tips column from the Winter 2017 issue of Northern Woodlands magazine.

This week’s contest winner was Huck Prazar