A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



plumage when shot, and on the wing the 

 white rump is conspicuous. 



221. Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata, hinn. 

 An autumn and winter visitant and one of 



the tamest of the waders on its first arrival. 

 Like the grey phalarope it misses the east 

 coast on its homeward journey in spring and 

 is unknown here in breeding plumage. 



222. Knot. Tringa canutus, Linn. 

 Locally, Silver Plover in winter. 



The migrations of the knot are much like 

 those of the curlew-sandpiper but it appears 

 in autumn and winter in much larger flocks, 

 and some remain throughout the winter. Its 

 remarkably extensive geographical range has 

 been carefully worked out by Mr. Saunders 

 {Manual, p. 596), but no eggs have ever been 

 found. From the vast numbers of birds 

 which come to England in autumn and 

 winter the nests must abound in some yet 

 undiscovered breeding-place. 



223. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.) 

 A spring and autumn migrant of which a 



few remain through the winter. Though 

 the plumage varies a great deal according to 

 age and season it can be always known by the 

 absence of a hind-toe. 



224. RuflF. Machetes pugnax (Linn.) 



The rufF bred in Norfolk till late in the 

 ' eighties ' and there can be no reasonable 

 doubt that it bred in Suffolk in earlier times 

 in more than one locality, although no record 

 of its having done so exists. Young birds are 

 not at all uncommon in autumn, and in July, 

 1872, an adult male was shot near Aldeburgh 

 showing traces of a recently-shed white ruff 

 (Ipswich Museum). 



225. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Tringites ru- 



fescens (Vieillot) 

 A very rare North American species of 

 which three specimens have been shot on 

 Breydon, the last in 1 843. All three occur- 

 rences were in autumn. 



226. Common Sandpiper. Totanus hypoleucus 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Summer Snipe. 

 This species is not at all uncommon as a 

 spring and autumn visitant, frequenting tidal 

 rivers and dykes in the marshes. Its nest and 

 eggs have once been found in Norfolk, but 

 there is at present no certain proof of its 

 having bred in this county. 



227. American Spotted Sandpiper. Totanus 



macularius (Linn.) 

 A specimen of this American sasdpiper 



was shot near Mildenhall early in 1869 

 [Zoologist, 1871, p. 2684) and stuffed by Mr. 

 Bilson of Bury. Dr. Babington when en- 

 gaged on his book was unable to trace it and 

 seemed somewhat doubtful about it, but adds 

 in his appendix [Catalogue, p. 276) : 'I now 

 believe that there was no reason to question 

 the Mildenhall example.' 



228. Wood-Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (J. 



F. Gmelin) 

 A spring and autumn migrant which has 

 often been obtained in the eastern part of the 

 county especially in the Aldeburgh meres. 

 On 14 June, 1889, a flock of five was seen 

 in the mere adjoining the North Field [Zoolo- 

 gist, 1889, p. 313). 



229. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus 



(Linn.) 

 Some birds of this species remain through 

 the winter, and Dr. Babington [Catalogue, p. 

 132) had records for all months but February, 

 March and November. It is a striking bird 

 on the wing, looking as black and white as an 

 oyster-catcher when flying low over the water, 

 and the very loud shrill note it utters when 

 alarmed is certain to attract attention, and it 

 is a less sociable bird than the wood-sandpiper, 

 being usually met with singly or in pairs. 

 The eggs have never been found in the 

 British Islands, though it is quite possible it 

 may have bred, as its habit of laying in old 

 nests of other birds built in trees was un- 

 known till about fifty years ago. Should the 

 eggs ever be found in England the discovery 

 will probably be made in one of the counties 

 bounded on the east by the North Sea. 



230. Redshank. Totanus calidris (Linn.) 

 Locally, Tu-tu (Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain). 



A resident breeding in marshes near the 

 coast and also in several localities in west 

 Suffolk, but the autumn and winter migrants 

 far exceed in number the resident birds. 

 In its nesting-grounds it is an attractive 

 bird with bold dashing flight and loud 

 mellow whistle, and though the anxiety of 

 the parents may plainly indicate that the eggs 

 are near they are difficult to find, being usually 

 well concealed in a tuft of grass and the hen 

 does not sit very closely. The eggs are often 

 sold as ' plovers' eggs ' but are rather smaller 

 and lighter in colour. 



231. Spotted Redshank. Totanus ^scus (Linn.) 

 An uncommon visitant at any time, and in 



the black summer dress is quite a rarity. One 

 in this plumage was shot at Stanningfield in 

 May, 1871, and preserved by Mr. Bilson. 



208 



