Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
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Distribution Britain 1,424 (+1.3%) Ireland 313 (-30.8%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 15,800 Ireland 2,300 European status: 570,000 (3% in Britain and Ireland =5) British population trend: still declining? (-16% WBS){-14%} How likely are you to record it? 154 squares (3.4%) Ranked 95 [71=] |
Over a century ago this familiar wader, on migration, was a regular breeder in most lowland counties but it had started to withdraw to the uplands as early as 1850 in Dorset. However even 100 years ago they still bred in parts of Sussex and many areas along lowland rivers. In Ireland there has been a steady contraction to the north and west and most are now in Donegal and Connemara — with a cluster in Kerry and a few may still breed in the Wicklow mountains. In Scotland, northern England and Wales, where there are upland streams, the birds are still common but there is some evidence of decline over the last 50 or 60 years. The declines are probably continuing in Ireland and lowland parts of Grampian but the birds have returned to breed in several places in Devon and Cornwall. Apart from these records they remain absent from south and east of a line from the Tees to Bristol. Acidification of the rivers and streams has led to losses of food resources. There may be further losses.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead