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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!).

Stick Boat Stumper

This still photo captures an action scene spotted by George Thomas in Littleton, New Hampshire. Do you know what is powering this stick boat?

Answer

Fresh balsam fir pitch. Apply a little pitch from a fir blister to a stick, drop it in the water, and then watch it go. The following video shows this phenomenon in action.

This week’s contest winner was Alicia Daniel