[SBB] New Chicago Marsh on Monday

A PEREGRINE FALCON was a flyby bird, but I failed to note its age. I had 2-3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS during the course of the walk. Most interesting were the 3 RUFFS that we saw. The 2 immature basic-plumaged females were in the usual location - that is, the large open water ponds that are west of the tracks near where the spur joins the main line of tracks. Across to the east side of the tracks was an apparent adult male Ruff. It was quite large, nearly the size of a Greater Yellowlegs, and had dull orangey legs. We checked the impoundment across the tracks from the main line and found 2 SNOWY PLOVERS. Both of these birds looked a little scaly above, and may be immatures. By the way, this impoundment has some nice pools of water right now - where it came from I don't know. On the way back we could see an OSPREY perched in the trees along the entrance road slough.

Dave took off for home and I headed over to the EEC. A VIRGINIA RAIL called from the slough as I exited my vehicle. Walking over to see the single BARN OWL roosting in the nest box, I was suddenly serenaded by 3 HOUSE WRENS, all "churring" away from the slough to the butterfly garden. Over by the EEC building I pished up about 5 YELLOW WARBLERS and a very gray-headed ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.