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[[underlined]] Venice [[/underlined]] 
[[underlined]] Birds [[/underlined]]
going on, & to my surprise they went on a little farther & then wheeled too! Out riding the surf was a flock of about 25 scoters, two terns (probably [[underlined]] hirundo [[/underlined]]) were fishing, & overhead big flocks of ducks strung across - while gulls beat up & down the shore. It was an exciting time - & the strong sea breeze smelled good & the sun shone warm - good after days of fog & cloud.
[[underlined]] 21st [[/underlined]] This morning I had a lovely time watching little sanderlings & snowy plover (see notes) Also explored along the mud thickets and saw a flock of meadowlarks singing, a lot of  [[superscript]] P.[[/superscript]] [[underlined]] beldingi [[/underlined]] one tule wren - a yellowthroat looking very green, a shrike, & sparrow hawk. Called up a song sp. by whistling its song. Crossing the hard sand dunes reminds you of walking on crust & has something the same exhiliration. There are some pretty sand dune plants here - nice life that radiate out - one with pretty yellow flowers & one with bluish green leafage. As the foot of the dunes there are some queer succulent reddish plants [[image - drawing of part of plant]] all like curls varying from green to dark reddish. Then there are
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[[underlined]] Birds [[/underlined]]
This afternoon the tide was very low (the moon is full) and the mounds of fresh kelp were all tracked around by the birds.  As you looked down the shore, at the water line were scattered big round long-billed godwits & white-breasted gulls, & on the sand back of the water lines of little white-breasted sanderlings like strings of pearls on the sand. Higher up - high & dry were scattered snowy plovers, and now and then, one or two would  start & make a run (head lowered) & dab at something - one of the little hopping things that rise from your feet, it would seem. The ocean was a water color - soft shimmering grays and yellows - and the surf below so far out that the roll of it was soft - the soft voice of the ocean - as at other times you get the deep voice.
[[underlined]] Oct. 23 [[/underlined]] - This afternoon sanderlings were most in evidence on the beach - a little squad of about 30 in one spot & others up & down ^ [[insertion]] the beach [[/insertion]] running about with a few scattered godwits & surf birds & gulls. Out in the sunpath a flock of surf scoters were rocking over the quiet green rollers, in the white surf lines men with long rakes were 'clamming', standing in the low surf & raking up the clams as they were [[brot?]] in, putting them in a bag carried over their shoulder - A steam launch with
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