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!).
We recently published an Outside Story describing four evergreen ferns that brave northeastern winters. Here are photos of two of these species, covered up to the tops of their fronds in the snow pack. Can you identify them?
1. Dryopteris intermedia aka intermediate wood fern, evergreen wood fern, fancy wood fern
2. Polystichum acrostichoides aka Christmas fern
This week’s contest winner was Travis Sparks