THE COMMON SANDPIPER 
TOTANUS HY POLEUCUS 
LocaL names in surrounding counties: ‘‘ Summer 
Snipe.” 
Status IN British AvirFAuNA: A summer visitor, 
breeding on the moorlands from Cornwall northwards 
to the Shetlands, and equally widely dispersed in Ireland. 
It passes many other localities on migration, and odd 
individuals remain to winter on the south coast. 
RapraL DisTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: Although the Common Sandpiper is not known 
to breed anywhere in the Metropolitan area, it is a 
tolerably common visitor to various suitable places in 
many parts of it. It is one of those species that might 
be met with almost anywhere near to water during spring 
and autumn. It has been observed on the banks of 
the Thames, the Lea and the Brent within a few miles 
of the city. It is a regular visitor to the reservoirs at 
Barnes, and to the banks of the ‘Thames between Putney 
and Kew, to the Penn Ponds in Richmond Park, and to 
brooks and pools in the Hounslow, Osterley, Harrow, 
Pinner, and Kingsbury districts. It may also be observed 
on migration at the Welsh Harp, at the Hampstead and 
Highgate ponds, at Barnet, Elstree, Waltham, Epping, 
and Wanstead, as well as in certain intervening localities. 
The same may be said of the various Kentish suburbs, 
whilst it is a tolerably regular visitor to many parts of 
Surrey within the Metropolitan area, from Croydon and 
Epsom northwards to localities already indicated. 
‘The Common Sandpiper is most likely to be observed 
in the London area during the last half of April or early 
in May, on its passage north ; whilst it may be looked for 
on return migration from July onwards through August 
and September. It is a most engaging, active little bird, 
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