COMMON REDSHANK 343 



Dunlins, Knots, Ringed Plovers, and other small wading- 

 birds, while others prefer the companionship of the more 

 sturdy Curlews, Godwits, and Sea-Pies. But nowhere does 

 the Redshank mass into large flocks, though numbers may 

 be seen scattered widely over the sands and ooze. It is 

 amusing to watch a party of these birds standing along the 

 edge of the tide, jerking their tails and nodding their heads 

 in true sandpiper- fash ion, and from some unknown motive. 

 Presently one of them will wade into a channel until its 

 feet and legs are quite covered. In this position half 

 swimming, half wading it will boldly plunge its head and 

 slender neck under the water in search of food, until finally, 

 by the force of the current, it is taken off its feet and obliged 

 to swim. This the Redshank can do with ease; indeed, I 

 have seen it cross a deep salt-water creek of considerable 

 width, and have observed w r ounded birds dive courageously 

 to escape capture. At high water this, like many other 

 shore-birds, rests on rocks, shingle, and tufts of grass, 

 deserting these at ebb-tide for the ooze-flats. Occasionally 

 it retires inland for other than breeding-purposes, and in 

 sheltered and wooded districts it not infrequently perches 

 on trees. 



Some sportsmen dislike the sight of this bird on the 

 coast because of its incessant, noisy cry, which comes as 

 a warning to other wildfowl to keep clear of the gunner's 

 range. But to the true lover of birds the plaintive piping 

 of this favourite shore-bird is a welcome and an agreeable 

 sound. The tuneful melody, short and simple, consisting 

 of but a few bars, fully expresses that it is rendered by an 

 emotional and a timid creature. If the piping of the Red- 

 shank and the mournful whistle of the Curlew should cease 

 to be heard over the sands and shallows of the ebbing tide, 

 how greatly should we miss those enlivening sounds ! 



Voice. The alarm-cry resembles the syllables thu-whoo- 

 tchu, thii-ivh66-whd, the accent being thrown well on the 

 first syllable. I have also heard a single tuneful cry, as 

 though the three syllables were fused into one note. It is 

 frequently uttered when the bird is on the wing. The love- 

 song of the male in spring has a peculiar sound like leero, 

 leero. It is uttered during courtship, when the male, with 

 nodding head, runs about in front of his spouse. 



Flight. The Redshank is very swift on the wing, and 

 cuts through the air, often pursuing an irregular and even a 

 zig-zag route. The white of the Secondaries is very notice- 

 able as the bird skims over the dark sands. 



