Montrose Dunes & South Pond/Zoo Farm Area Tuesday 3-31-26

[Al Stokie]

Hello Again Bird People,

Saw on Discord that Bob Hughes saw a Burrowing Owl this morning in the
Dunes at Montrose.
Hurried down there in the hopes that the rain would hold off until I
could see the little owl.
Arrived at a little after 9 am & saw a group of birder/photographers
on a hill looking across the protected dunes fence. I could hardly get
up the hill with my wheelchair/walker as the sand was deep & very
loose causing me to sink in. Finally with help from Santo L & Connie S
I reached the top of the hill & got a look at the BURROWING OWL using
someone's scope. All you could see was the Owl's face & shoulders as
it was pretty well hidden by dead vegetation. Didn't stay long as I
had heard from Leslie B that a Cattle Egret was at the South Pond by
the Zoo Farm.

Parked by North Pond & walked all the way to the South Pond where the
Cattle Egret was no longer on the small island. But I soon found
Demond & Kelly R who directed me toward the boardwalk just east of the
Farm. Unlike with the Owl I had very good looks at the Egret. Thanked
Russ W for finding the bird & then beat a hasty retreat as a rainstorm
was about to break out.
But I wasn't quick enough & I got soaked as I walked back to my car.
There was even a little small hail as I went back. All in a day's
birding!

And I should mention that on the way home I saw that Axehead Lake is
now closed for Trout restocking probably for the rest of the week or
so. But Lake Opeka is still open for business.

Not many species seen today but two of them were FIRST CLASS.

Al Stokie
Again in Cook County today