It was nearly a year ago when I got to my destination in the Penn Forest woodlands. I know that soon after dawn, the woods reveal more wildlife encounters and this was no exception. A few days in the previous week offered some rain showers, and for mid-July, the woods were rather damp. I hiked (not at a cardio pace) stopping at many places to check out a bird singing or some wildflower blooms. It seemed that everywhere I looked that morning, the leaf-covered floor or fallen tree trunks revealed another mushroom, or in some instances, dozens of mushrooms. Indian pipes seemed to be everywhere.

After about 15 minutes I surprised a young buck in velvet who stared at this odd-looking stranger in his “neck of the woods” before he bounded into the mountain laurels. I watched about a half dozen chipmunks scurry into their rock dens and a gray squirrel I chased inadvertently, chattered from a fork near the top of a white oak tree.

I took a few more steps and suddenly a 6- or 7-week-old fawn burst out of the laurels about 20 feet from where I stood. It “flew” past me as fast as its legs could carry it. Almost next to me it bleated out a desperate sounding BLAAAAH. Seconds later, probably only 40 or 50 feet behind it, a gray-colored coyote burst onto the fire line where I stood. It was hot on the heels of a potential meal.

Fortunately for the fawn I was at the right place at the right time. I swear the coyote appeared to do a “180” in midair, and as fast as it appeared in the lane, it retreated in the direction from which it came. The fawn appeared to have the fear of death in its eyes while the coyote had the biggest look of surprise. My stopping at that spot the instant the fawn blasted by bought it some time. For that day it escaped. Maybe if lucky, that will be the only time it will encounter a hungry coyote.

My walk continued and that morning I heard and/or saw 30 different birds. I was fortunate being in the July woods that morning. A few weeks later the woods would be quieter because most of the birds will have finished nesting and will no longer need to sing to protect their nesting territory.

As the sun got higher in the sky and warmed the rocks, I also spied two garter snakes, and before the ground dried, I found two red efts hugging the damp ground where their delicate skin could stay moist. A few hours later I remembered that I still had a ton of yard work and I couldn’t wait to download some photos of birds from that morning, and called it a day.

We have a “ton” of nature places for you to explore. Take an hour, or a few hours to find your nature spot and maybe you can capture some wildlife drama, or just listen to the forest activity and not the phone or TV. Get out there and enjoy.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: True/False, The eastern coyote is larger then the coyotes found in America’s western states.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: I was surprised when Jim, a colleague at LAHS, brought in a live lamprey he found in Stewart Creek. Since then others have reported these parasitic fish which travel up tributaries to breed. So true, both American eels and lamprey eels can be found in this region.

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.