148 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



On immature birds the marbling is obscure and greyer, and the 

 upper parts show white edgings. The bill is greenish black, 

 the legs are yellowish, and the irides brown. Length, 8 ins. 

 Wing, 5*25 ins. Tarsus, i'25 in. 



Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.). 



In winter the Sanderling (Plate 61), which nests far north in 

 Arctic Asia and America, reaches the southern limits of Africa, 

 America, and Australia ; the majority of the large numbers 

 which visit our shores are halting on the long journey. Sep- 

 tember and May are the great Sanderling months, but there 

 are some birds on the shore at all seasons ; many winter here, 

 and a few non-breeding birds linger through the summer. 



This little wader, as its name suggests, prefers sand to mud, 

 and is commoner on the beach than in the estuary. Inland 

 waters are not infrequently visited on passage. Dunlins and 

 Ringed Plovers are its companions, but it will mix with other 

 waders, and when the big packs of Knots rest at high-water 

 •mark, there are generally a few " little birds " with them. The 

 Knots line the ripples, the tall Godwits stand in the water, but 

 the Dunlins and Sanderlings fringe the shore side, sheltered 

 by their larger companions. When the feeding Dunlins sedately 

 probe the mud, the more energetic Sanderlings, recognised by 

 short black bills and restless activity, race to and fro, chasing 

 the sandhoppers, and even hurrying to capture washed-up 

 molluscs. The fact that the Sanderling may be distinguished 

 from all other small waders by the absence of a hind toe is of 

 small value unless the bird is in the hand ; it is not easy to say, 

 toe or no toe, on such quickly moving legs. But the grey, 

 almost pearly, winter dress, is whiter than that of any other 

 wader ; in a good light, winter Sanderlings look white spots on 

 the yellow sand. If summer plumage has been partially attained 

 it is more like a Dunlin with a short bill, but it never has the 



