THE COMMON SANDPIPER 



TOT4NUS HTPOLEUCUS 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : " Summer 

 Snipe." 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : 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. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'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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