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On days with such wonderful lighting, it's actually difficult to take a poor photograph. I think these images help explain why I spend so much time exploring and birding in Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Some days you find the bird, as Charles Naeseth pointed out a record-early Tennessee Warbler this morning (if accepted by WSO it will be a tie with the earliest record of this species in Wisconsin).
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But on other days the bird finds you, as this Barred Owl did with its "who cooks for you!" call. Hard to believe with all my searching around in the conservancy, here it was close to one of my favorite spring birding spots all the while – typical bird…makes me feel like I know nothing! Once again, there were dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers and this particular fancy-suited bird was my favorite of the bunch:
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I can't wait to get back there tomorrow morning…
All images © Mike McDowell