We had a great Labor Weekend Bird Walk on Sunday at DeKorte, with a nice turnout and lots of good birds — including three — count 'em, three — Bald Eagles and a Merlin (above). You can see from John Fagan's photos (above and "on the jump" ) how much Merlins resemble young Peregrine Falcons. Thanks, John!

And thanks to Denise Farrell, Julie McCall and Peggy O'Neill for the list, which follows!

Mallard
American Black Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Forster's Tern
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Semipalmated Plover
Merlin – 1
Bald Eagle – *3*
Downy Woodpecker
Barn Swallow
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
N. Cardinal (heard)
Warbling Vireo
Yellow Warbler
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
European Starling