Curious beeked critter with spines and big teeth. (Solved: American Beech)

[WDH]

Bud and petioles.

Wow, look at those stipular scars!.  I have always been a stipule man . 

[Lanier_Lurker]

Those buds are more blunt than the buds on my beeches.

Mine look like the end of an icepick or awl.

[SwampDonkey]

They aren't hardened off yet and I think by the look of those stipule scares and recent shoot elongation, she was a slow growing branch. A more opportune position in the crown and the buds are much bigger and pointier.

[Dodgy Loner]

I have been training a 4-H Forestry Team for the last couple of weeks, and beech was one of the trees we learned last week.  I wanted to show them how to ID beech by the long, pointy buds, but alas, they were still short and stumpy like SD's.  We will have to wait until fall before I can teach them that fantastic identification characteristic (although I'm sure my enthusiasm will be met with a chorus of groans )

[SwampDonkey]

Those hairs on the beech are much more prominent in the spring with shoot elongation.