Common Sandpiper   Actitis hypoleucos

Scarce passage migrant with a small breeding population around Shetland

 

The first record is of one on the 12th July, 1977.

 

In 1983 a pair was reported to have bred on the island (Pennington et al., 2004). The only other breeding record was in 1996, when a pair of eggs were laid during that summer, but unfortunately failed.

 

One or two (and up to 4) birds are seen on passage most springs when an observer is present. Autumn does not see as many as the spring, but there are occasionally one or two birds noted, especially in August and September. An exceptional 12 were seen on the 23rd August, 1992.