WILD LOUISIANA: In plain sight.....The Owl of Oaklawn Street.

May 2015. I set out around 6 am heading to the Big Branch Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Lacombe, La. The early morning hours brought the sounds of singing birds and a warm May breeze rustling through the tree tops. This day, like so many of my photographic excursions was filled with hope of capturing something new or extraordinary. I spent the next two hours slowly moving through the refuge, each step carefully placed to minimize noise. Eyes focused on the tree tops looking for movement and ears turned to the wind listening for the slightest sound of wildlife. As the minutes and hours passed, my disappointment grew, not a single decent photograph. Now approaching 9 am it was time to pack up and leave. The day was ending in disappointment. "NOT SO FAST"! Driving out of Big Branch, I came to a stop sign on Oak Lawn St. I gazed across the intersection looking for oncoming traffic and there it was, sitting in plain sight on the street sign, a magnificent Barred Owl. Its dark brown eyes looking down on me. Its sharp talons tightly gripping the metal sign that read "Oaklawn". I could read its mind, " you dummy, I have been here all morning". I quickly rolled down the window and killed the engine. I pointed my Canon 70D with 200mm (w/2x TC) out the window and fired away capturing several wonderful images of the owl perched on the Oaklawn street sign. The owl seemed curious just staring down at me before flying to the top of a large oak tree. Excited, I restarted my engine and rushed home. Disappointment was averted.