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!).

Mystery in Sand

We found this exposed sandy area on a hill in central Vermont, where something had scratched up the grasses and disturbed the soil. What happened here?

Answer

A wild turkey dust bath. If you look closely, you can see some tracks. Several hens have been seen visiting this spot, vigorously flapping their wings to create clouds of fine sand. The sand helps to remove parasites from their feathers and skin.

This week’s contest winner was Matthew Hoffman