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!).
Author Bernd Heinrich sent us this photo of what he described as “stars in the daytime,” which he spied on August 20th in the noon-time sky. What are they?
These are dispersing fireweed seeds. A common explanation for the plants’ name is that they are early colonizers of disturbed sites, including burned over areas.
This week’s contest winner was No winner this week!