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!).
Our friend Bryan Pfeiffer submitted this intriguing picture. OK, botanists, what is it?
The fruiting structure of a beaked hazelnut – a.k.a. Corylus cornuta. This native shrub is common in wooded edges and hedgerows. The nut inside looks like a miniature version of the commercially grown hazelnut. We had 56 correct answers.
This week’s contest winner was Brian Blain of Naples, Florida.