Specie's Page                                               Wood Sandpiper - Small Waders

Wood Sandpiper:

UK Status: Mainly a bird of passage being more numerous in the spring and autumn. A few do stay in the UK during the breeding season, with a few nesting in Scotland.

Habitat: This bird frequents fresh water marshy habitats, and sometimes the muddy edges of lakes. They seem to favour Pine woodland and scrubby areas. Sandpipers feed on worms and invertebrates that they find in the mud, and silt in such places.

Breeding: Most breeding takes place further north of the UK, in places like Siberia. Nests are shallow scrapes on the ground, usually lined with dried grass. Their are up to four eggs in a clutch, and the eggs are light buff with darker markings.

Comment: These birds are not common in the UK. This year (2026) we had one regularly moving between varios pools around Leeds in West Yorkshire. It was never at any of pools on the same days that I was there, I thought I had lost my chance to see one when the reports ceased. Then I finally saw my first Wood Sandpiper at Filey Dams NR in East Yorkshire during early September 2026.

BE AWARE PLEASE:  Ground nesting birds are very vulnerable to having their eggs and chicks smashed or crushed. This can happen when people are unaware of their presence, or when dogs are allowed to run loose during the breeding season. Nests are very well hidden, and are not usually spotted until it's to late. Dogs often have no concern for ground nesting birds, please keep them on their leads from April through to the end of September.