The Common Sandpiper is ironically one of the least common waders that regularly occur on passage and winter in our area. It breeds mainly on the stony shores and islets of lakes and rivers in northern and central Asia as far south as the western Himalaya. In winter and on passage it favours the shores of rivers, ponds and reservoirs, preferably with limited vegetation and sometimes quite bare. It also likes the fast flowing water along and below barrage outlets.

It is rarely seen out on mud or in shallow water and rarely mixes with other waders. Further, it appears to be quite strongly territorial and each individual is well spaced out from the next in any one site. Only at peak passage time are small flocks likely to be encountered. Because of its habitat preference it is a regular sight beside village ponds and, although not numerous, it is therefore very widespread, occurring in most, if not all, squares.

The first Common Sandpipers arrive in August and departure begins in March and continues into May. Numbers very rarely exceed 10 at any one site and more usually they are seen in ones and twos. A characteristic sight is a bird flying low and hesitantly over the water with bowed wings almost touching the surface. It has a distinctive lisping “twee see see swee” call which may attract attention to what can be a rather inconspicuous bird. When walking, it bobs its tail and head more than other sandpipers and not just when it is alarmed