85 Journal R.E.Johnson 1967 March 19 Stinson Beach, Marin Co., California - waterway between sand + rock filled spit (separating bay from ocean) and mudflats exposed by low tide, located approx. 1 mile north of Stinson Beach. 1:30-6:00 PM. Increasing cloudiness throughout afternoon, remaining warm until 5:30 PM when it was completely overcast and a light breeze arose from over the ocean. By 5 PM the tide was in, covering the mudflats. Groups of 20-30 Ruddy Ducks, often mixed with Horned and Eared Grebes (both in molt to breeding plumage), swam back + forth in the channel. Lesser numbers of Scaup in smaller groups were also on the water. A few common goldeneye (1 o, several scattered q's) swam singly among other duck species. Buffleheads (mostly q's) were common among the grebes & ruddy ducks. A group of 50 Coots were on the muddy shore at the south end (dead end) of the channel. American Egrets waded along the edges of the channel in good numbers, with smaller #'s of Snowy Egrets + Great Blue Herons (see species accounts of these three). There were no large flocks of shore birds on the mudflats, but there were individuals of the following species scattered over the flats: Willet, Killdeer, Western Gull, Marbled Godwit, Black-bellied Plover (1 breeding plumage to 10 winter plumage). An occasional Cormorant swam down the channel. After 5:30 PM I