96 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIV. 



THE DIVING HABIT AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF THE 



SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 



By H. Mousley, Hatley, Que. 



In the "Ottawa Naturalist," for September, 1918, Nuttall in his "Manual of the Ornithology of the 



page 56, Mr. John D. Tothill gives an instance United States and Canada," 1834, Vol. 2, p. 164, 



whilst out canoeing on the Restigouche River, of speaks of their nesting at Egg Rock off Nahant, in 



the diving of this small Sandpiper to avoid pursuit the immediate vicinity of the noisy nurseries of the 



by a hungry Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius) quailing Terns. Mr. Julian K. Potter, writing in 



and speaks of the behaviour as being unusual. I "Bird Lore," Vol. xx, 1918, No. 4, pp. 282-284, 



remember being equally surprised on first witnessing says, "That the Spotted Sandpiper sometimes as- 



this habit some few years ago at Hatley. On that sociates with others of its kind, and may be found 



occasion I had shot an immature bird which fell at breeding in a restricted area, is an established fact, 



the edge of the water, but on proceeding to the spot but I believe, however, that this habit is the excep- 



to pick it up as I thought, was surprised to see it tion rather than the rule with these birds." He then 



wade out into the water, where after getting out of goes on to relate how at the end of May, 1913, he 



its depth it sank to the bottom, and by means of its found Spotted Sandpipers nesting in colonies within 



wings and feet proceeded to travel at a great rate the city limits of Camden, N.J., as well as in the 



under the water to a small mud bank, where it came wilds of Pike County, Pa. In the former place six 



to the surface and hid in the surrounding rushes. nests were found within an area of one forth acre, 



(See "The Auk," Vol. xxxiii, 1916, p. 66.) whilst in the latter about twelve pairs (three nests 



That this wading, swimming and diving habit is were actually found) were thought to be breeding 



by no means so unusual as most people imagine, in quite a limited area. 



seems to be borne out by the experience of others, 

 for Dr. Warren notes that a young bird when 

 wounded took to the water in a shallow stream, 

 went to the bottom like a stone, ran across on the 

 botton, and coming up on the other side endeavoured 

 to conceal itself by submerging its body and pushmg 

 its head among long grass growing at the water's 



As regards my own experience at Hatley, I have 

 already recorded in "The Auk," that usually not 

 less than six pairs used to nest on the margins of 

 'the marsh' some fifteen acres in extent, but of late 

 years the numbers seem to have decreased. The 

 most extraordmary case, however, of this commun- 

 ity spirit and partiality for nesting on small islands 



edge. In September, 1876, Mr. E. H. Forbush is related by Mr. L. M. Terrill in his paper on 

 saw a wounded bird of this species when pursued, "The changes in the status of certain birds in the 

 dive into deep water from the shore of the Charles vicinity of Montreal," "Ottawa Naturalist," Vol. 

 River and fly off under water, using its wings xxx, 1911, p. 57, wherein he says, "Having seen no 

 somewhat as a bird would use them in the air. All mention of gregarious habits attributed to this Sand- 

 its plumage was covered with bubbles of air, which piper, it might be of interest to note that a few years 

 caught the light until the bird appeared as if studded ago a large colony were nesting on Isle Ronde (a 

 with sparkling gems as it sped away into the depths small island of a few acres, opposite the city), 

 of the dark river. (See "Game Birds, Wild Fowl Visiting this island on May 26, 1896, I located 

 and Shore Birds," Forbush, 1912, p. 323, where without difficulty thirteen occupied nests. Again on 

 Dr. Warren's experience is also recorded). Dr. May 31, 1898, I examined upwards of twenty-five. 

 Charles W. Townsend remarks in his "Birds of On each occasion only a small portion of the island 

 Essex County," 1905, p. 188, that the young birds, was examined and I estimated that there were well 

 while still covered with natal down, run very fast over one hundred pairs breeding." 

 and when hard pressed, take to the water and swim In striking contrast to this might be mentioned 

 rapidly and easily. my experience with the Common Sandpiper of 

 Regarding the community spirit of this restless Europe (Tringa hypolenca) first cousin to our 

 little Sandpiper, the same author speaks of its being Spotted species, and a bird very like it not only in 

 particularly fond of nesting on islands, and that in appearance but in general habits also. In the British 

 the late seventies he used to find the eggs at Kettle Isles on the rivers Wharfe in Yorkshire, the Wye, 

 Island off Magnolia, whilst Mr. W. A. Jeffries Hamps, Manifold and Dove (the latter immortal- 

 found eleven nests with eggs, and one with young at ized by Isaac Walton and Charles Cotton, the lat- 

 Tinker's Island, off Marblehead, on June 8, 1878. ter of whom calls her the "Princess of Rivers") all 

 Four nests were in the short grass on high land, in Derbyshire, I have had ample opportunities of ob- 

 while the others were all found more or less far un- serving that instead of a community spirit existing 

 der the roqks scattered over the grass or along the the opposite seems to be the case, for there each 

 shore. pair of birds selects and monopolizes a certain 



