Spotted a red-tailed hawk once on a trail by the lake. It was just sitting on a fence post, all calm like it owned the place. I almost missed it because I was looking at my phone, you know how that goes. But seeing it there, so still and majestic, really made the whole muddy hike worth it. Now I always try to look up more when I'm out walking, just in case. Those little surprises are what make getting up early pay off.
Yeah, @kim178, putting the phone away made a huge difference for me too. Now I always scan the trees and sky, and it turns boring walks into little adventures.