I had planned a field trip last week, mainly to look for reptiles and amphibians. It was already mid-morning when I reached the state forest land in southern Pike County and started my trek. It was sunny and about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with the forecast high temperature of around 80; It was a typical warm summer day.

A few minutes after reaching a clearing and a power line, I heard a call of a bird—a raptor. After a few moments, I recognized the call of an osprey. As I turned around to where I heard the call come from, I saw a single osprey flying to and then hovering at the top of one of the tall transmission line supports that ran up and down the power line. The osprey landed in the nest, stayed a few minutes and then flew in the general direction of a creek nearby.

As I looked at the cleared area along the access road for the power line, I saw much tall grass, with various shrub-type plants that covered the ground. Some wildflowers were in bloom.

Aside from grasshoppers and locusts, I saw quite a few butterflies, such as swallowtails, fritillaries and the occasional monarch. The smaller birds, passerines, were making their presence known also; several American goldfinches were moving through the low vegetation, and off to my left was a large boulder nearby with an eastern towhee perched on top.

In this little patch of forest and cleared pipeline, I did not find any reptiles and amphibians, but nature this day threw a pleasant little diversion.

On hikes and other outings, you might be looking for birds, for example, and find something totally unexpected that does not have anything to do with birds.

Taking a closer look at things and being more receptive to what you observe in the wild can reap rewards.