Yesterday (12/2) afternoon I checked out the Everett Sewage Ponds, Spencer Island, and vicinity.

Judy Taylor was'nt kidding when she said she saw thousands of ducks out there on 12/1. Although I don't have a scope viewing conditions were perfect - dead calm and afternoon slanted sun- so I was able to get at least a general view of the hoards. The vast number of waterfowl were massed on the north end of the main pond. It's been awhile since I've estimated that number of any kind of bird, but easily more than 5000 birds, probably more like 10.

It was a real mixed up flock of Mallards, American Widgeon, Scaup sp., Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Pintail, Green winged Teal, Ring- necked Duck, Gadwall , somewhat in that order of abundance though it was hard to tell - a huge very dense mixed flock. Also plenty of coots.

Closer to the access road were several hundred Canada Geese perched on the concrete wall bordering the pond. On the west side of the pond were hundreds of shorebirds also lined up atop the 'wall'. At one point they all flew up, revealing about 100 of them to be Black-bellied Plovers. The rest were peeps or maybe Dunlin.

Walked on to Spencer I. spotting one Northern Shrike along the way. The tide very high on the island - the whole thing flooded . Also very quiet bird-wise. A few Buffleheads, several hundred snoozing GW Teal, and Mallards were all the ducks I saw back there. Lots of Song Sparrows, BC Chickadees, a few Robins and Crows, single Flicker and Pileated Woodpecker were most of the land birds. It was so nice a single Treefrog was inspired to croak.

I then headed briefly up to the seasonal ponds along 12th street NE, just north of the Sewage Ponds. Spotted a single (late) Lesser Yellowlegs that been there for the past several days. Seemingly that was the only shorebird around, but checking closer I spotted 4 Wilson Snipe all feeding together - the most I've ever seen together -usually I only see them one or maybe two at a time, in flight. So it was neato to see them feeding together, in the gathering gloom. By the way , the pond I'm talking about is the one north of the roads end. The unusual stubble around it is amazingly suited to camouflaging shorebirds - its definitely worth doing a careful examination of the place - I'm often surprised.

Jeff Gibson, Everett Wa