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!).

Ice Feathers

Reader Michelle Giles found these beautiful ice formations in Essex Junction, Vermont. What conditions are needed for these to form?

Answer

These ice “feathers” form when water vapor turns directly into ice after touching a freezing surface (in this case, a frozen tree branch), skipping the liquid stage. Humid air and below-freezing conditions are needed.

This week’s contest winner was Robert Ross