Hunt ox The Spotted Sandpiper. 51 



THE SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 



CHRESWELL J. HUNT. 



Surely every bird student knows the Spotted Sandpiper 

 (Actitis macularia). Xo matter how small the body of water 

 we visit, whether river, creek, or mill-pond, we are almost 

 certain to find at least one pair of these little fellows at home. 

 Visit a rapid stream dashing over rocks and gliding here and 

 there into deep pools such as the trout love and you will hear 

 the shrill "Peet-weet, peet-weet" of the Sandpiper as he takes 

 wing from some point along the water's edge at your ap- 

 proach ; or you may come upon him "teetering" upon some 

 rock. Or visit a tide creek or river and you will find him 

 just as much at home upon the sandy beach or upon the mud 

 flats left by the receding tide. He also finds the quiet mill- 

 pond much to his liking and the stream must be small indeed 

 which may not be honored by his presence. 



Although so well known generally a few observations made 

 during the past year or two may not be amiss. 



Common enough along the streams I frequent, and though 

 one of the first birds whose acquaintance I made when I be- 

 gan the study of ornithology, it is still more cr less of a 

 stranger to me. We are on speaking terms and that is all. 

 Never as yet have I been fortunate enough to discover the 

 nest or even to receive a hint from the birds as to the nest 

 location. 



It was a hot June afternoon. I had been lying upon a log 

 at the edge of a mill-pond watching a Kingfisher. The mid- 

 day hush in the bird chorus was in progress and 'ere long I 

 fell asleep. When I awakened, without moving I looked out 

 over the water and there within only a few yards of me stood 

 two Spotted Sandpipers. They were standing in about three 

 inches of water and were apparently fast asleep. Each stood 

 upon one leg. The head was turned back and the bill was 

 hidden in the feathers of the back. They were perfectly mo- 

 tionless. I wondered if it was customary for these birds to 

 sleep in this manner. Do they always sleep thus? Or were 

 these birds simply taking a siesta? 



