Spending time in nature often brings peace of mind and unexpected surprises. Many people make it a habit to walk through fields, forests, or trails to reconnect with themselves and the world around them. For Australian woman Kym Beechey, these walks also fuel her passion for photography, where she tries to capture the unique beauty of wildlife, even though animals are often shy and hard to photograph.

One day, while on a stroll, Kym thought she had spotted a newborn tawny frogmouth, an owl-like bird. Excited, she quietly pulled out her phone and zoomed in, hoping to snap the perfect photo. To her delight, the “bird” even seemed to be smiling, making the moment feel even more special.

But as soon as she reviewed the photo, Kym realized her mistake. What she believed to be a baby bird was actually a quirky-looking banksia pod from a tree. These pods, which often resemble pinecones, have unusual shapes and features that can easily be mistaken for faces or animals.

Banksia trees grow mostly in southwestern Australia but are also found in Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Their pods split open in the heat of forest fires to release seeds, giving them their distinct look. Kym laughed at her mix-up and added the photo to her collection—proof that nature’s surprises aren’t always what they seem, but they’re always worth remembering.