l64 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



the legs pinkish, and the irides brown. Length, 7 ins. Wing, 

 4*2 ins. Tarsus, 075 in. 



Green Sandpiper. Tringa ochropus Linn. 



As a passage migrant the Green Sandpiper (Plate 68) occurs 

 in all parts of the British Isles, including the island outposts. 

 It breeds throughout northern Europe and central Asia and 

 winters in Africa and southern Asia, occasionally reaching 

 Australia. It is an uncommon winter visitor, and, rarely, 

 remains all summer ; indeed, it has occurred in every month in 

 the year. 



Reports that the Common Sandpiper has been seen in winter 

 are generally referable to the Green, though it is larger, and 

 can, even when at rest, be told by its white upper tail-coverts 

 and strongly barred tail. On the wing the white lower back 

 shows very clearly ; this, contrasted with the dark back and 

 wings, makes the bird look black and white. In flight it may 

 be distinguished from the Wood-Sandpiper by the sooty under 

 surface of the wing ; in the Wood it is greyish white. The 

 Green Sandpiper seldom frequents the shore ; it is an inland 

 species, haunting the borders of rivers and small streams, lakes, 

 and even small ponds. Easily flushed, it rises high, towering to 

 a great height with strong beats of its sharply angled wings, and 

 with many Snipe-like turns and careens. Almost invariably it 

 calls on rising, a loud, clear toie^ toie, toie^ with a rounder, fuller 

 <?-sound than the call of the Redshank. Though it does not as 

 a rule alight within sight, it will return to the same spot when 

 the coast is clear, sometimes in less than half an hour ; day after 

 day it frequents one pond or river reach. Occasionally two or 

 three birds will feed near together, but as a rule it is solitary ; 

 flocks, very rarely large, are only seen during migration. 



In May and June, August and September, the bird is 

 commonest, but wintering Greens will haunt one spot for 



