Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  
   
       
  Common Sandpiper songflighting   Two male common sandpipers fighting over female  
 
Common Sandpiper songflight
  
Two males fighting over female
  
   
       
  Common Sandpiper returning to its nest   Common Sandpiper  
 
Common Sandpiper returning to its nest
  
Common Sandpiper (with chicks nearby)
  
   
       
   
 
Common Sandpiper Chick
  
   
       
   
The first two clips were shot in Central Scotland. The remaining 3 were shot in Strathspey, Scottish Highlands.
    
   
   
Scottish Highlands, June 2005
  
   
 
 
     
   
At this site a road ran alongside and close to the edge of the loch for most of its length. On the opposite side of the road from the loch the ground rose to form an embankment and this was apparently a much favoured nest site location for the local sandpipers. The sandpipers were easily disturbed by traffic and would often fly down to the loch whenever a car passed by. After they had settled they would fly up to the side of the road then walk across the road and up the embankment to their nests. As I filmed this sandpiper returning to the nest (pic 1) I watched a 2nd sandpiper returning to a nest 80 meters to my right (pic 2) and a 3rd sandpiper returning to a nest 120 meters to my left (pic 3).
  
       
 
Common Sandpiper returning to nest