16; 



THE COMMON SANDPIPER. 



Totanus liypoleucus (L.). 



The earliest records of this species were all from the west, 

 and it was not until the third week of April that Sandpipers 

 were recorded from Hampshire and eastwards, the only 

 exceptions being single individuals observed in Essex on the 

 4th and in Surrey on the 7th respectively. 



The first records were from Shropshire on the 15th of 

 March, from Northumberland between the 20th and 22nd 

 (with a note, " earliest ever seen "), and from Dorset on 

 the 30th. 



Stragglers were observed in Essex, Wiltshire, Surrey, 

 Radnor, Shropshire, Merioneth, Denbigh, Carnarvon, the Isle 

 of Man and Yorkshire during the first three weeks of April. 



On the 21st and 22nd there was a decided migratory 

 movement in the west, as was indicated by an increase in 

 the number of Sandpipers in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. 

 The records showed that these birds passed on northwards 

 immediately, and, in all probability, some of them were 

 among those reported from Lancashire and Cumberland on 

 the 23rd. 



Single individuals were killed at St. Catherine's light, 

 Isle of Wighi,on the 26th, and at Bardsey light, Carnarvon, 

 on the 28th. 



During the month of May, Sandpipers were steadily passing 

 through the country, but as they appear to have travelled 

 singly, or in very small parties, there were no records indi- 

 cating any marked ' waves ' of immigration. 



The species was reported as nesting in Cumberland on the 

 4th of May. A nest with eggs was found in Radnor on 

 the 6th, in Westmoreland on the 20th, and in Lancashire on 

 the 21st. 



