Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos L 18-20cm. Active little wader with a bobbing gait and elongated tail end. Flies on bowed, fluttering wings low over water: note white wingbar and absence of white rump. Sexes are similar.<br /> Adult has warm brown upperparts with faint dark centres and barring feathers of back and wings. Head and neck are grey-brown; note clear demarcation between dark breast and white underparts, white extending up sides of breast. Juvenile is similar but wing covert feathers s are barred. Voice Utters a whistling tswee-wee-wee call. Status Fairly common summer visitor, nesting beside upland and northern rivers and lakes. Widespread and fairly common passage migrant, found at inland sites and on coasts. A handful overwinter.
{}