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!).
Reader Barry Wicklow found these slalom-like tracks through the snow on the edge of the woods in southern New Hampshire. What happened here?
A bobcat wrestled a gray squirrel to secure its next meal, then carried the squirrel into the woods. The squirrel’s hind legs dragged in the snow between the bobcat’s tracks, creating these parallel marks. (Picture updated to include the victorious bobcat with its unfortunate prey.)
This week’s contest winner was Elise Leduc-Fleming