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!).

These Paws Were Made For Walkin’

Who pawed his away across this snowy road?

Answer

Opossum tracks.

These paw prints come from an opossum. Note the short palm, the offset big toe on the hind foot, and the thin tail drag. (And yes, on the left is a woman’s boot track.)

This week’s winner is David Dargie, who wrote, “That would be a size 8 women’s Timberland boot print. With the long stride, I’d say she was running away from the opossum that was chasing her.” (David’s mostly right: the boots are a size 7.)

This week’s contest winner was David Dargie of Andover, MA