Today while snowshoeing (Frankford, ON) my mom and I came across a birch tree but none like we’ve seen before. Unfortunatley I didn’t have my phone or camera with me today. Figures.
I assumed all birch had white bark. This tree did in the top quarter to half of the tree; very white, healthy looking limbs and bark. But the lower portion of the tree was more of the irregular, brownish bark you’d see on many other trees!
Trying to Google it when we got back to my place to research it a bit more, I learned there are MANY species of birch trees, however I couldn’t find what this species was.
Does anyone have any ideas based on that description?? We’re very curious now.
I was making a similar mistake. Some years ago when I was trying to find a lifer Common Redpoll, I heard they liked birches, so was searching though every stand I came across. Finally one of my co-workers enlightened me that about half of the trees I was searching weren’t birches.
yeah good point, both aspen and sycamore are other options. You could peruse photos of each from your area and see if any are an obvious fit. Sycamore in particular is very distinctive even in winter