SANDERLING 273 



broad sloping sand plains beyond it, to rest and doze or preen their 

 plumage. Here they stand or squat on the sand, often in immense 

 flocks, all facing the wind. Their colors match their surroundings 

 so well that they are not conspicuous and I have often been sur- 

 prised to see them rise. These large flocks are generally wary and 

 not easily approached. But small parties or single birds feeding 

 along the surf line are very tame and if we sit quietly on the beach, 

 they will often run up quite close to us. Like many other shore 

 birds, they are fond of standing on one leg or even hopping about 

 on it for a long time, as if one leg were missing; often a number of 

 birds will be seen all doing this at the same time, as if playing 

 a sort of game ; but if we watch them long enough, the other leg will 

 come down, for they are not cripples. 



Voice. — J. T. Nichols writes to me of the limited vocabulary of this 

 bird, as follows : 



The note of the sauderling is a soft feet, Jcet, ket, uttered singly or in series 

 somewhat querulous in tone. It is at times used in taking wing, also with varia- 

 tions in the conversational twittering of a feeding flock. The sanderling is 

 a rather silent bird at all times and seems to have a comparatively limited 

 vocabulary. 



Field Marks. — The sanderling is well named " whitey " or " whit- 

 ing," for the large amount of white in its plumage, particularly in late 

 summer, fall, and winter, is one of its best field marks. In winter 

 it appears to be nearly all white while on the ground, against which 

 the stiff black legs, the rather heavy black bill and a dark area at the 

 bend of the wing stand out in sharp contrast. In flight the broad 

 white stripe in the wing, contrasted with black, is diagnostic; and the 

 tail appears white, or nearly so, with a dark center. Young birds in 

 the fall can be recognized by the mottled black and white back. Its 

 foot prints in the sand are recognizable, as well as the probings made 

 by its bill. 



Fall. — Mr. Manniche (1910) observed the flocking of the young 

 sanderlings in Greenland, during August, prior to their departure 

 about the end of that month ; he writes : 



The flocks of sanderlings every day increase in size till they culminate 

 about August 20th. August 21st, 1906, I met on the shore at Hvalrosodden 

 with a flock numbering at least 300 sanderlings. I walked there toward even- 

 ing and, as the weather was unusualy fine, the birds were very lively ; the 

 imposingly large flock of birds executed evolutions in the air with incredible 

 dexterity, now scattered and then in a compact column, now very high in the 

 air and then close to the glassy level of the sea. 



The first adults reach Massachusetts in July and are common or 

 abundant during the latter part of that month and through August. 

 The earlier arrivals are in worn spring plumage, but all stages of 

 body molt are seen during their stay with us. The young birds come 

 along in the latter part of August and are most abundant in Septem- 



