Nature Treasures along the Path

Sometimes ranch work takes the field crew I'm on far away from the blacktop and into the wayside. If I can keep my hoe quiet and off the rocks, I can sneak up on resident fauna and get a closer look. That ranges from the startling five-feet-long bullsnake sunning in a gully to the wary juvenile badger that scampered into the rock ledge from me last weekend. My youngest son spotted an ornate box turtle and pointed out a large specimen of a great plains skink at the barn door that same day. The combination of overcast skies and out-of-the-way locations almost guarantees a sighting or two. Walk beside a pasture pond and listen for the frogs escaping your path with a leggy plunge. Be sure to watch for the hidden ground nest along the way. Pass gently and enjoy all nature has to offer, a real treasure trove.