LITTLE STINT. 613 



years it is rare or altogether absent, whilst in exceptional 

 seasons it has occurred in great abundance. These erratic 

 visitations are evidently due to the fact that the Yorkshire 

 coast lies to the westward of its chief line of flight, and it 

 is only under extraordinary cii cumstances that large numbers 

 are met with. 



The earliest date of which I have note of its arrival in 

 autumn is 12th August 1900, when one was obtained near 

 Redcar ; it was especially numerous in the years 1881, 1887, 

 1889, 1892, 1894, and 1903 ; in the latter season in flocks of 

 forty to fifty in number, at the Teesmouth. In 1887, both 

 at the last named locality and at Spurn, it was exceptionally 

 plentiful from the 25th of August to the end of September, 

 fresh comers arriving almost daily up to the 6th of the latter 

 month, when there was a great " rush " of small waders ; 

 that season has since been distinguished as a remarkable 

 " Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper year." 



On first arrival the Little Stint does not, as a rule, associate 

 with other shore birds, and occurs in small parties of half-a- 

 dozen up to forty and fifty, or even more, but later in the 

 season it is seen consorting with the Dunlin and Curlew 

 Sandpiper, the latter of which is generally associated with 

 it on migration. Although often found on the sands and 

 muds this species appears to prefer the salt marshes and 

 reclaimed land adjacent to the estuary, where large flocks 

 have been observed feeding on the margins of the brackish 

 pools, whence they fly only a short distance if disturbed. 

 Early in October the southward flight is resumed ; one was 

 reported at Spurn on 8th October 1881, and the latest 

 lingerer I have noted at the Teesmouth was on 14th November 

 1903. 



On the spring passage northward it is extremely rare ; 

 a male in full summer plumage was procured at Kilnsea 

 on 7th May 1877 ; one in the Hull Museum was obtained 

 near Beverley in June 1885 ; and occasionally it occurs in 

 the Tees area in May and June, generally singly, and never 

 in flocks as in autumn. 



On other portions of the coast it ranks as a casual visitant 



