Still working outdoors in Snohomish so I've been checking the floodplain farm ponds near Lords Hill Park for the past few days. No Stilts. No Ibis , or Condor's or Auks either. Even most of the ducks were gone - Mallards and Violet- Green Swallows were all I saw on the ponds. Lot's of singing Yellowthoats and Savannah Sparrows still.

It was interesting to hear that Dennis Paulson had a big Evening Grosbeak day in Cle Elum yesterday , because I had a similar experience where I was working yesterday in north Snohomish (town) where I saw hundreds of Evening Grosbeaks also the most I've ever seen in one place. They really have an uncanny ability to instantly disappear into a tree. Hundreds churring about and flying from tree to tree in about a half-mile stretch of woods. What was really strange though is that in all the birds I saw flying about, I could'nt find a single adult male! This locale has always been good for Evening Grosbeaks in the past and just a few days ago I saw males flying over. But yesterday none.

Also in the same neighborhood I saw some beautiful Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes (both adult and young) of the Melanistic vagrans subspecies - black with yellow stripes, found in the Puget Sound area, but I don't remember ever seeing any out snohomish way. A pretty snake.

Stopping off at Fields Riffle Park (undeveloped) just down the river from Snohomish has been interesting as usual. Last week saw numerous butterflies. One day were many Spring Azures and a dozen or so tattered Painted Ladies, the later of which must be having a big influx year - I've seen many over the past week. Sunday I saw a fresh Mourning Cloak and a bright Red Admirable - both the first I've seen this year.

Out on the mudflats of 'Norwegian Bay', as the little tidal basin at Fields is named, were 4 Spotted Sandpipers and an assortment of ducks - Gadwalls, a few pairs of Shovelers, some Cinnamon and GW Teal, and somewhat suprisingly 3 pairs of Common Mergansers which I would expect to be way upriver this time of year.

Lots of warblers in the willow/cottonwood woods - singing Wilsons, Yellow, and Yellowthroats. Also singing Black-headed Grosbeaks , Bewicks Wrens, Song Sparrows, and Warbling Vireos

The seasonal ponds off 12th ave , north of the Everett sewage ponds have been quiet the past few days, but have had all three Teal sp. around - including about a half dozen each of male Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal.

Lastly, coming out of the Anchor Pub last night at midnight, on the downtown Everett waterfront the sky was full of noisy Caspian Terns, which is not unusual right now, but it was pouring down rain - the Terns unfazed. Caspians and Killdeers are the bar closers down there.


Jeff Gibson, Everett Wa