Ideal for fall shorebird birding, eh?

The problem is the north end of Spencer Island just to the south and
west of Smith Island is a hunting area in season.

The City of Everett's page on Smith Island Restoration

http://www.everettwa.org/default.aspx?ID=1111

says

> Advisement: Please note that due to the close proximity of the new
> trail to the hunting trail on Spencer Island across Union Slough,
> the trail between 4th Street and 12th Street will be temporarily
> closed during hunting season for the safety of trail users. Hunting
> seasons last from Fall to Spring each year.
>


So that's only part of the trail I think and having not walked it yet
I'm not sure how much one looses from this. I presume this is still
current. I notice Spencer Island also has some notices warning
hunters not to shoot west towards Smith Island.

Bummer.

That said I was out at the south end of Smith Island today (with Dan
and Ed) which is part of Spencer Island Park and the birding was
rather good.

40 species for the day including WILLOW FLYCATCHER, many BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAK, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, WARBLING VIREO, SWAINSON'S THRUSH,
OSPREY, BLUE-WINGED AND CINNAMON TEAL (on the sewage ponds), CLIFF
SWALLOW, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, YELLOW WARBLERS and WILSON'S WARBLERS
and more CEDAR WAXWINGS than you can shake a stick at (they're
everywhere!).

We didn't see the Oriole down there though (it's becoming a nemesis
bird this year for Ed).

You can see all of this on Google Maps ...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Smith+Island+,
+Everett&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=m-
kZSpf7BZySswPU9uiSDw&ll=48.00474,-122.160587&spn=0.058575,0.110035&t=h&z
=13&iwloc=A

<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Smith+Island+,
+Everett&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=m-
kZSpf7BZySswPU9uiSDw&ll=48.00474,-122.160587&spn=0.058575,0.110035&t=h&z
=13&iwloc=A>

If your (Microsoft) email client breaks it up you need to put it back
into one piece ... no spaces.

Great place to visit. And actually better birding than Spencer Island
proper our original target.
--
Kevin Purcell
kevinpurcell at pobox.com