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!).

Shadow Stalking

This shadowy image appeared on a game camera placed in the Vermont woods. What is it?

Answer

This is the shadow of a bobcat. As ambush predators, bobcats spend lots of time waiting for prey to wander by, and they often choose higher elevation sites with significant brush or boulders that hide their presence. Why this bobcat chose such an open spot to sit for a while, we don’t know. Perhaps it was just enjoying the early spring sunlight. To learn more about bobcats (and the camera trapping that led to this image) check out this essay from our Outside Story archives.

This week’s contest winner was Scott Morrison