Hello all

Can someone fill me in on the story of Kent Ponds? I spent
a very frustrating hour there recently--it was a Sunday afternoon, and I
proceeded to the Kent Animal Shelter per directions I'd gotten from a
very accommodating person at the SAS shop. The parking lot was locked
(shelter closed on SUnday) and a number of signs along what I took to be
the periphery of the Pond area stated "NO TRESPASSING--CAUTION--SUSPECTED
CONTAMINATED AREA"! Finally a rather exasperated employee of the Shelter
told me that it was nearly impossible to get into the ponds, that she had
no idea what the "contamination" referred to, that there was no water in
the ponds, and that she is constantly
asked these questions by would-be birders on her working weekends.
I drove farther south to try gaining access along the fields marked as
"City of Kent" property, but frankly felt that the whole place was a
little too run down and trashed --not to mention unpromising by all
indication-- for me to be poking around there solo.

Thanks. Private email OK to: jmm2 at u.washington.edu

Jeanne Marrazzo