{"id":15138,"date":"2021-01-18T12:58:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T17:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=15138"},"modified":"2021-01-18T12:59:00","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T17:59:00","slug":"take-5-barking-up-the-wrong-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-barking-up-the-wrong-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Barking Up the Wrong Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Winter is a fantastic time to appreciate the beauty and diversity of tree bark. Without the dense foliage of the warmer seasons, it becomes easier to appreciate the unique patterns and textures each species presents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few species are fairly easy to identify from their bark, like mature Shagbark Hickories, whose bark peels away in long, narrow, vertical strips that can appear “shaggy” from a distance, hence the name “shagbark.” White Birches, also known as Paper Birches, are also easy to spot with their bright, namesake bark that peels horizontally in thin, papery, white strips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others are more tricky to identify by the bark alone\u2014Red Maple is sometimes called the “tree of a thousand barks” due to the high variability in texture, pattern, and color of its bark, ranging from smooth to shaggy to “plated”, sometimes even on the same tree! For most trees, other markers such as branching pattern or the shape of buds or leaf scars can be necessary to make a positive identification (a good field guide<\/a> is helpful, or you can take a program about tree identification<\/a> to dive even deeper)\u2014that is, if a species ID is even what you’re after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But very often it is enough to simply slow down and appreciate the beautiful diversity of tree barks that can be found in even the smallest patches of forest. So, on your next winter nature walk, get curious and turn your focus to the woody “skins” of our native evergreen and deciduous trees with both sight and touch\u2014how many different patterns can you discover?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are five photos of tree bark from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors<\/a> photo contest. You’ll probably notice there are a couple that are not definitively identified in the captions\u2014true to form, many trees are impossible to confidently pin down to species based on bark alone, even for seasoned experts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Yellow
Yellow Birch \u00a9 Dominic Konrad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Paper
Paper Birch \u00a9 Bob Dempkowski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Most
Most likely an old Sugar Maple \u00a9 Nicole Nachef<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Norway
Norway Maple (non-native\/invasive species but highly ubiquitous) \u00a9 Matt Cembrola<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Tree
Tree Bark, possibly cherry or oak \u00a9 Samantha Buckley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Winter is a fantastic time to appreciate the beauty and diversity of tree bark. Without the dense foliage of the warmer seasons, it becomes easier to appreciate the unique patterns and textures each species presents. A few species are fairly easy to identify from their bark, like mature Shagbark Hickories, whose bark peels away in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":15141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[381,85,148,144],"class_list":["post-15138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5","tag-bark","tag-plants","tag-trees","tag-winter"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/01\/3784Samantha_Buckley14845.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3Wa","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3301,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/meet-the-maples\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":0},"title":"Meet the Maples","author":"Rosemary","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s maple sugar season: that time of year when we tap trees for their sweet sap, and boil it down to make syrup and other treats. The star of the show is the famous sugar maple (Acer saccharum), but you can spot many other equally stunning maples in Massachusetts. Maple\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"maple sugaring","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/03\/maplesugaring-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14999,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-red-breasted-nuthatches\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Red-Breasted Nuthatches","author":"Ryan D.","date":"December 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Folks this fall have been seeing a lot of Red-breasted Nuthatches\u2014a bird that is more commonly seen in regions north of Massachusetts (though not uncommon in the western part of the state). This year is believed to be an \u201cirruption\u201d year, when lots of typically northern-dwelling birds are seen in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red-breasted Nuthatch \u00a9 Patricia Cully","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/5919Patricia_Cully29649-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/5919Patricia_Cully29649-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/5919Patricia_Cully29649-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/5919Patricia_Cully29649-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3790,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/keep-your-eyes-peeled-for-this-pest\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":2},"title":"Keep Your Eyes Peeled for this Pest","author":"Rosemary","date":"August 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The non-native Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is a serious threat to our maples and many other hardwood trees. The larvae dig deep into the heartwood; infected trees cannot be saved. Tens of thousands of trees have already been lost in the northern and central US. In fact, it's such a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/07\/ALB-403W.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3465,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-leaf-eating-tree-damaging-little-green-caterpillar\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":3},"title":"The Leaf-Eating, Tree-Damaging, Little Green Caterpillar","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"April 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Remember the little pale green caterpillar that ate through your trees and roses last year? Well, it\u2019s back! The caterpillar stage of the invasive\u00a0winter moth (Operophtera brumato) eats young, tender leaves, sometimes before the leaves even get a chance to emerge from the bud. The winter moth caterpillar is just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/wintermoth_Milan-Zubrik-Forest-Research-Institute-Slovakia-Bugwood.org_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/wintermoth_Milan-Zubrik-Forest-Research-Institute-Slovakia-Bugwood.org_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/wintermoth_Milan-Zubrik-Forest-Research-Institute-Slovakia-Bugwood.org_.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/04\/wintermoth_Milan-Zubrik-Forest-Research-Institute-Slovakia-Bugwood.org_.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1420,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-mighty-moose\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":4},"title":"The Mighty Moose","author":"Kristin S.","date":"February 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier in the season, nature photographer and Mass Audubon volunteer extraordinaire, Richard Johnson, set out to photograph a moose that had been spotted at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton, Massachusetts. Waiting patiently from the safety of his car, telephoto lens ready, Richard snapped this photo when the moose appeared\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/12\/MooseRichardJohnson_cropped.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-downy-woodpeckers\/","url_meta":{"origin":15138,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Downy Woodpeckers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"February 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Of the seven woodpeckers found in Massachusetts, the Downy Woodpecker has the distinction of being both the smallest and most common\u2014they can be found almost anywhere there are trees. With insects making up the bulk of their diet, downies will pick and peck at tree bark in search of tasty\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Downy Woodpecker \u00a9 Bruce Gilman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/02\/1604Bruce_Gilman14267.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15138"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15151,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15138\/revisions\/15151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}