420 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



seen further inland, frequenting the drains and 

 muddy pools in the vicinity. " It is an extremely 

 wary bird, and when startled from its haunt flies 

 straight into the air, uttering a shrill, whistling cry. 

 This species breeds in the far north, and curiously 

 enough for a Sandpiper, usually selects the deserted 

 nests of various tree-building birds in which to lay 

 its eggs. In several parts of England these birds, 

 in full breeding plumage, have been found in mid- 

 June, but there appears to be no satisfactory record 

 of the eggs having been found in this country. 



A second species — the Wood Sandpiper — was at 

 one time believed to be identical with the Green 

 Sandpiper. In many respects they are alike, but 

 specific differences are now clearly known to 

 exist. 



Of other species of Sandpiper classed as British, 

 the Broad-billed, Pectoral, Bonaparte's, Buff- 

 breasted, Bartram's, Spotted and Yellow-shanked, 

 all are the rarest stragglers, mainly from North 

 America. 



All through the period of the autumn migration, 

 changes are taking place in the hordes of waders 

 which visit the mud-flats. Dav by day one watches 

 the wandering groups on the look-out for some rare 

 stranger from Siberian wastes which may have 

 come in the night. Sometimes, running with the 

 flocks, a tiny bird may be made out, a miniature 

 Dunlin, as it would seem, so minute that it is at 

 once conspicuous. The Little Stint is at best an 

 uncommon visitor to English coasts, the British 

 Islands apparently lying to the west of its usual 



