SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



239 



The Seniipalmated Sandpiper is a social>le little 

 bird usually tdund in company with other small 

 Sandpipers, es]iecially in that of tlie Least Sand- 

 piper to which it is similar in general habits and 

 appearance. It is partial to the open sand 

 beaches — following the receding waves, seizing 

 its minute crustacean food from the backwash, 

 and cleverly eluding the returning surf. It is 

 more of a sand bird and less of a mud Ijird than 

 the Least Sandpiper. Positive identification in 

 life is impossible unless a very close view is 

 obtained, enabling the observer to see the semi- 

 webbed feet. 



It is constantly on the move, but. notwithstand- 

 ing its great activity, it becomes very fat when 

 food is abundant. On a windy day I have seen 

 little groups of them settle down under the lee 

 of a marsh tussock, preening their feathers and 

 indulging in a siesta of repletion, keeping up a 

 continuous peeping of contentment. These loaf- 

 ing spells become more frequent as the autumn 

 days wane, and they are loath to leave a suimy 

 nook under a bank sheltered from the strong 

 northwest wind. I have sailed a sharpie within 



ten feet before they would take wing with queru- 

 lous tii-zifccts tn-7vcets of resentment. 



In its winter plumage the Western Sandpiper 

 { Erriiiirtcs uiaiiri) can only be distinguished 

 from the Seniipalmated by its longer bill ; in 

 the summer the color of its ujiper parts is richer 

 and more rusty with stronger markings. The 

 curious and remarkable thing about this bird is 

 that while it breeds in a narrow strij) of terri- 

 tory along the northwestern coast of Alaska, 

 it is a common winter resident in the south- 

 eastern United States from North Carolina to 

 Florida and Louisiana. 



This long journey across the continent is not 

 jiaralleled bv any other shore bird ; it is, however, 

 comparable to that of several species of ducks. 

 Just what route this migration follows is un- 

 known as there are no records from the interior 

 to show which way the birds passed. The West- 

 ern Sandpi])er also winters from Lower Cali- 

 fornia to Venezuela. The individuals that pass 

 the winter in eastern South America probably 

 migrate over the seas from Florida. 



R. L Brasher. 



SANDERLING 

 Calidris leucophasa ( Pallas ) 



.\. O, U. .Xumher 248 See Color Plates M, 34 



Other Names. — Ruddy Plover; Beach-bird; .Surf 

 Snipe: W'liite Snipe; Beach Plover; Whitey ; Bull Peep. 



General Descriprion. — Length, 8 inches. In summer, 

 principal color above, chestnut; in winter, pale bluish- 

 ash. Under parts always white, but the breast finely 

 spotted in sutnmer. Only three toes (hind toe missing) ; 

 front toes with narrow marginal webs. 



Color. — Adults in Summer: Entire upper parts, 

 varied with black, ash, and chestnut, on back and 

 shoulders each feather black centrally, broadly mar- 

 gined with reddish and tipped with white; wing-coverts, 

 secondaries, and primaries ashy, the feathers lighter on 

 edges of coverts, secondaries. Zi'liite-ti/'ped. and a zvliite 

 spot at base of primaries: rump, upper tail-coverts, and 

 central tail-feather.s, dusky, tipped and edged with ashy 

 white; rest of tail-feathers nearly white; under parts, 

 while, finely spotted with dusky and chestnut on sides 

 of throat and breast; bill and legs, dusky; iris, brown. 

 .AiiuLTs IN Winter: Upper parts, pale bluish-ash, the 

 crown narrowly streaked with darker and the feathers 



iin back fading into white on edges; shoulders and 

 inner secondaries, with darker centers; wing-coverts, 

 like back; secondaries, largely ivhite; primaries, dusky, 

 whitening at base; an indistinct dusky line from 

 bill through eye; line above eye, cheeks, and entire 

 under parts, pure white; bill and legs, black; iris, 

 brown. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest : A depression in the 

 ground, lined with grass or leaves. Eggs : 4, light 

 olive-brown, speckled and spotted with different shades 

 of brown, cliiefly at large end. 



Distribution. — Northern and southern hemispheres; 

 breeds from Melville Island, Ellesmere Land, and north- 

 ern Greenland to Point Barrow, Alaska, northern 

 Mackenzie, Iceland, and in northern Siberia ; winters 

 from central California. Texas, Virginia, and Bermuda 

 to Patagonia, and casually to Massachusetts and Wash- 

 ington ; also from the Mediterranean, Burma, and 

 Japan to South Africa and various Pacific islands, 

 including Hawaii. 



In the sunny days of September, where the 

 white-maned horses of the sea, urged onward by 

 the winds, charge in long rows and thunder down 

 \'..!.. I — 17 



upon the sands of Cape Cod, the Sanderling is 

 in its element. Matching the very sand in color 

 it is almost invisible while s(|uattcd on the upper 



