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for the chain of small ponds should be incorporated into the design. Once again, shoreline and aquatic plantings will be specified in the master management plan. 3. Herons and Cranes Four species of herons (Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Common Egret, and the Snowy Egret) plus one crane species, the Sandhill Crane, are permanent (herons) or winter (crane) residents of the greater Tracy area. All are predators on fish, frogs, and other small invertebrates including mice. The small duck breeding ponds and the inshore zone of the large ponds will provide ideal foraging sites for this group. In addition, a wet meadow area, situated at one end of one of the large ponds„ would provide an important secondary feeding habitat for all species. This meadow area should be approximately 5 acres and have a gradual land fall (1-2%) towards the pond edge. Irrigation water will pass over the meadow and into the pond shore area which will now serve as a marsh interface between the two habitats. The meadow should be planted with low growing, water tolerant grass and legume species and be irrigated at weekly intervals during the spring, summer, and early fall months. A dense stand of riparian vegetation should be planted along the irregular meadow edge and this planting should also be within the irrigation zone of the meadow. The end result will be a meadow-marsh-pond complex surrounded by a dense belt of riparian woodland. 4. Upland Shorebirds Upland shorebirds such as the Killdeer, Marbled Godwit, Greater Yellowlegs, and Common Snipe are found throughout the irrigated lands of the northern Central Valley where they feed in wet meadow situations and often breed nearby. The wetland preserve thus will incorporate a wet meadow at the north end of the enhancement area. Depth of the water in this area can be controlled by inlet gates on the south edge of the water take up ditch. Adjustment of flashboards in these gate areas also will determine the number of hours or days that water would stand on the meadow land. All species would utilize the wet meadow and marsh area during one or more irrigation periods and throughout the rainy winter months. Two additional species, the American Avocet and the Black-necked Stilt, will be attracted to the marsh and shoreline edge where the water depths are constant at 6-8 inches. These two species plus a spectrum of other migrant shorebirds will also use the wetland complex if a shallow seasonal wetland pond is positioned at the upper edge of the wet meadow. This pond should be no deeper than one foot and should gradually grade to that depth from its shoreline. Its only source of water should be rain and rainwater runoff, and it should be allowed to dry after the rainy season. If it is heavily invaded by weed species at this time, it should be lightly tilled and then left fallow for the next rainy season. 5. Coots, Grebes, and Kingfishers These water birds plus several other species will top off the list of future residents of the proposed wetland complex. The American Coot is the most common inland water bird in California and displays one of the most intricate behavioral patterns of any avian species. Their constant, active presence, especially when accompanied by their young, affords an excellent opportunity for bird watching and nature observation. Grebes are diving, fish eating water birds, and one local species, the Pied-billed Grebe, has the same nesting requirements as the local breeding ducks previously described. 38