(Nest) Location, location, location

On the hottest of days in my part of Wisconsin, there is only one place to go. It’s a secret place in the Baraboo Hills, known only to locals. A stunning gorge a few hundred yards long that starts and ends with a meandering stream. In between, spectacular moss-lined cliffs, shallow pools and gentle waterfalls present a fairy tale-like setting in which to linger, gaze, and revel in the cool embrace of shade, rock, and water.

It’s a place to show off to select visitors, which is precisely what I did for a west coast friend on a recent day when the temperature hovered in the high 90’s.

After a cool swim, as we settled on a ledge with a picnic lunch, we noticed an Eastern Phoebe moving from a branch to a spot in the cliff overhead. We heard the sound of nestlings peeping. Though we had our bins with us, we couldn’t get close enough for a good photo. But as we relaxed and watched, taking in the beauty, it didn’t take long to realize the wisdom of this phoebe pair. This nest was, to our eyes, in the most perfect spot on Earth. Can you spot it?

Originally published on August 1, 2012