WATER-BIRD WAIFS 



By early June each sandpiper pair has scratched a 

 little hollow, lined it with a few straws, and laid four 

 pointed, heavily spotted eggs. The mother flutters 

 and limps away when you surprise her upon them, and 

 is even more solicitous when they have hatched and 

 the odd little chicks are hiding from you, squatted 

 flat on the ground, where it is very hard to see 

 them. 



One day Ned and his mother were walking along the 

 river bank, following a cart road, when away fluttered 

 a Spotted Sandpiper, and there, just beside the road, 

 under some weeds, was the nest with the usual four 

 eggs. Of course I had to go and see it, and Ned very 

 proudly brought me to the find. Off went the anxious 

 bird, and I could then see her running along the pebbly 

 river margin, saying "peet-weet, peet-weet." After 

 setting the camera on the ground near by, with some 

 rocks piled over it, we hid in the bushes and watched 

 for the bird's return, ready to pull the thread. We had 

 been quiet for only a few minutes when she came 

 cautiously walking back, teetering almost constantly. 

 She went right past the camera without noticing it, 

 then to her nest, and settled down, poking and arranging 

 the eggs with her bill. At the snap of the shutter she 

 darted off. I set it again, and she soon came back. 

 After securing several pictures, we went away and left 

 her in peace. This nest was located, as is generally 

 the case, near open water, but quite often a mere 

 brook will suffice, and not infrequently the location is 



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