Totally agree with the pleasant surprises you can get while not actively birding.

Something that still amazes me happened the summer or '77. My wife and I were traveling throughout Montana that summer driving a health testing van. While traveling east at between 55 and 60 from Shelby on highway 2 and no traffic in sight, I suddenly caught a movement out of my left eye. I quickly looked over and saw a prairie falcon passing me! He proceeded to slowly pass me and then cross over in front of me and pick off a meadowlark that was sitting on a fence post.

Happy birding,
Ron McCluskey