SANDERLING 481 



SANDERLING 

 [W. FARREN] 



Separated from the genus Pelidna by reason of its lacking a hind- 

 toe, yet the sanderling differs no more in habit from the species in 

 that genus than they do from each other. It is one of the commonest 

 of the shore-birds that visit us on migration, and a fair number 

 remain with us throughout the winter, joining with the flocks of 

 dunlin and ringed-plovers. In its feeding habits it closely resembles 

 the former species. 



The sanderling is one of the first species to appear on our coasts 

 on the autumn passage. Small parties of adults, and with them a few 

 young birds, arrive in some years as early as the middle of July, but 

 it is not seen regularly, or in large numbers, until the middle of 

 August, migration lasting throughout September, when the immature 

 birds considerably outnumber the adults. The bulk of the latter seem 

 to pass direct out of the country to their southern wintering-places, 

 as most of the birds that remain with us in winter appear to be birds 

 of the year. These do not attain the delicate light grey back char- 

 acteristic of the full winter plumage until after midwinter. Anything 

 approaching adult winter plumage before then is rare. This cannot 

 be mistaken when seen ; some fully adult birds are so light in colour 

 as to appear almost white. 



At the end of April small parties begin to arrive on the South 

 Kent coast on the return passage. Throughout May and until the 

 first week in June there is a constant increase. Dr. N. F. Ticehurst 

 has noticed that although sanderlings associate with other small 

 Waders, at this season there is a greater tendency for the various 

 species to keep in separate flocks than in autumn. 1 The Rev. H. A. 

 Macpherson stated that very few birds in the large flocks, sometimes 



1 Ticehurst, Birds of Kent, p. 468. 



