Finally feeling it again.

Been 3 months since I lost my mojo and Chaos has ruled so much of my time.  I finally decided I need to just get out and do things.  What really kicked me in the butt was the sighting of a Northern Mockingbird south of Albion.  This and Common Redpoll (I dipped on those a couple of times when I went out just for them in Feb.) are the only "easy" Code 2 birds I am missing for the county.  Normally I would have rushed right over to find it.  Even after it was reported again 3 days later on March 16th...a Saturday.  It wasn't until the next day I forced myself to head out and see if it could help calm the Chaos like birding has in the past.  The Mockingbird gave horrible, backlit looks, but looks and some calls were enough.  235 for the county.  

To catch up some of what I have managed in 2019.  

• On January 2nd I thought I saw someone sitting on a farmhouse porch in a blue jacket.  As I got closer I realized it was an Indian Peafowl (Peacock).  Interesting find that far away from the zoo.  
• January 6th I head a Great Horned Owl out in the woods.  Eventually, in the dark, the bird flew right over my head about 20 feet as I stood out in the yard listening to it.  
• Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks have been quite noticeable in the yard this winter.  

• A cismontanus Dark-eyed Junco has shown up in the yard again this winter.  Striking black hood with rufous and grey mixed body.

• A red morph Eastern Screech-Owl was holed up on 23 Mile Road, found by Dr. Dale Kennedy.  Interestingly other photos taken after I photographed it on March 17th showed a grey bird.  When I was there on March 23rd the bird in the holy was a grey one.  

• Got to be a "hero" on March 17th also.  I was photographing a mix of Tundra and Trumpeter swans when I guy pulled up alongside me.  I was just about to say "Everything is okay", when he asked if I had seen a yellow lab.  I hadn't.  Shortly after that I turned off R DR N onto Old-27 when I see alongside me, appearing from thin air, a yellow lab running next to my Jeep.  I pulled right over and called the dog right to me.  Just as I was about to try to get him into the back of the Jeep his owner pulled up.  Was really a nice moment for me after what happened with Abby.

March 23rd I managed 50 species of bird, as well as around that number on March 17th.  Not bad when a Big Day high is 55 for me in March.  It definitely helped the soul to get back out there.   A Common Loon on March 24th, which flagged as rare was a nice find on my way to Meijer. Lastly to catch up to today I pulled off the highway on the way home to investigate the white bird in the fluddle on Betz and Beckley.  It turned out to be a Trumpeter Swan, but upon looking at my pictures I noticed it had yellow legs.  I thought that was odd for this time of the year.  Upon some research I found that this was likely a leucistic bird.  That made sense as I think it was a juvenile, but had no grey on it at all.