Write down as much as you can observe about what you see, even if it appears to make no sense to you. Sketch as many details as you can, and note your questions: what puzzles you, what don’t you understand, what’s new to you, what seems out of place or different? With any luck, you can find the answers in a field guide or by asking an expert in the field.
Years ago, I saw a pair of very active little birds up the creek near my home. I watched them for a long time, delighting in their swooping flight and their balancing act. I wasn’t sure what these fast, stubby little birds were. I drew them as they sat and preened, and later identified them as bank swallows from my rough sketches and from my memory of their actions.
It was fascinating to find these “nested” leaf cases tucked into a hollow branch. Most likely, a wasp had parasitized the eggs of an ant.