It was a windy day in Snohomish today, and working outside I decided to head to Lords Hill Park to get out of the wind and see what I could see. Driving out there on the old Snohomish - Monroe Rd I caught a flash of white along some shallow farm ponds - a Greater Yellowlegs. I like Yellowlegs so I pulled over for a look - and much to my surprise found two BLACK- NECKED STILTS feeding along with the several Yellowlegs there.

In over 40 years of birdwatching in my home state here I've managed to avoid meeting a Stilt - never in the right place at the right time. Snohomish - who'd a thunk it. These farm ponds ( which I found to be very birdy last fall) are north of the road just to the west of the turnoff to Lords Hill (127th av SE).

Continuing up the Hill to the park I took a brief walk down the trail. The sun was out and I did get out of the wind in a very nice ferny, mossy , lichen laden Hemlock grove with blooming Bleeding Hearts and many other interesting plants. In a tiny pool formed at base of a windthrown Cottonwood I surprised 3 little Red- legged Frogs.

Lots of nice forest birds about: singing Brown Creepers, Black -Throated Gray Warblers, and Towhees. Pileated Woodpecker, Winter Wren and several Ravens calling. Saw a single Chestnut - backed Chickadee. Creatures I don't see much of in urban Everett.

Back down the hill I stopped at the ponds again. The two stilts still there. Then a half dozen Dowitchers. A dredge island in the middle of the pond was covered with ducks, hunkered down in the wind. A pair of Bald Eagles were also hunkered down - sitting right on the short grass near the pond, watching the ducks with interest it seemed. Or maybe they'd never seen stilts around here either.

Feeling lucky I stopped off at Smith Island on the way home and checked out the seasonal ponds off of 12th st. NE just north of the Everett STP. Along with a single Killdeer were 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. Several Greater Yellowlegs there also, and a small flock of peeps - Least's I think- too far away. A male Cinnimon Teal and other ducks about.

Jeff Gibson, Everett Wa