Sandpipers & Snipes in Tyne and Wear

21 species matching this filter.

All birds in Tyne and WearView family page

Tyne and Wear's coastline, estuaries, and wetland habitats support an impressive diversity of sandpipers and snipes, with 21 species recorded across the county. The mudflats of the Tyne and Wear estuaries provide vital feeding grounds for waders such as Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Curlew, while quieter inland waterways attract species like Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper. Passage migrants such as Curlew Sandpiper and Greenshank add seasonal variety, making the region a rewarding destination for wader enthusiasts throughout the year.

Little Stint
Little StintSmallest · 13cm
to
Curlew
CurlewLargest · 60cm
Ranges from the Little Stint (13cm) to the Curlew (60cm)8 year-round residents
Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponicaNT

A rare non-breeding visitor to estuaries and mudflats, present from late summer through winter. Best looked for along the Tyne and Wear coastline.

Jul–Feb

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Limosa limosaNT

A rare breeding visitor found on wet grasslands and estuarine margins from spring through autumn, with elegant black-and-white wing bars in flight.

Mar–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucosLC

A rare breeding visitor, bobbing along stony riverbanks from April to September. Most likely along the upper Tyne tributaries.

Apr–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoLC

An uncommon resident of damp grasslands and marshy areas, often flushed from cover with its characteristic zigzag flight and rasping call.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Curlew

Curlew

Numenius arquataNT

A common year-round resident found on estuarine mudflats and coastal fields. Numbers bolstered in winter by continental birds at sites like the Tyne estuary.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferrugineaNT

A rare autumn passage wader, appearing on coastal pools and mudflats in August–September, often among Dunlin flocks.

Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Dunlin

Dunlin

Calidris alpinaLC

An uncommon but year-round resident of estuaries and mudflats. Numbers peak in winter when passage and wintering birds join locals.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Eurasian Woodcock

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticolaLC

A rare winter visitor from October to March, skulking in woodland and damp scrubby areas. Cold-weather influxes can boost numbers.

Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropusLC

A rare visitor to freshwater pools and stream edges, most often seen during passage from midsummer into autumn, bobbing distinctively.

Mar–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Greenshank

Greenshank

Tringa nebulariaLC

A rare passage migrant from July to October, pausing at coastal pools and estuarine mudflats on its southward journey.

Jul–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimusLC

A secretive winter visitor to boggy margins and wetlands, rarely flushed from cover. Present from October to March but easily overlooked.

Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Little Stint

Little Stint

Calidris minutaLC

A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally found on coastal scrapes and muddy pool edges in August and September.

Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritimaLC

An uncommon resident of wave-washed rocky shores and harbour walls, often seen alongside Turnstones on the region's piers and breakwaters.

Aug–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Red Knot

Red Knot

Calidris canutusNT

Small numbers occur year-round on tidal mudflats, though far scarcer here than on larger estuaries further south.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Redshank

Redshank

Tringa totanusLC

A common year-round resident of estuaries, mudflats and coastal marshes. Its piping alarm call is a characteristic sound of the shoreline.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpresLC

An uncommon resident of rocky shorelines, busily flipping stones and seaweed to find invertebrates along the Tyne and Wear coast.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Ruff

Ruff

Philomachus pugnaxLC

A rare autumn passage migrant from July to October. Occasionally stops at freshwater pools and muddy margins along the coast.

Jul–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Sanderling

Sanderling

Calidris albaLC

Present year-round on sandy beaches, with flocks scurrying along the tideline at sites like Whitley Bay and South Shields.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropusLC

A rare autumn passage migrant, occasionally noted at coastal pools and estuarine mudflats in August and September.

Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopusLC

An uncommon breeding visitor present from spring to early autumn, favouring coastal and upland habitats with its distinctive rippling call.

Apr–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareolaLC

A rare passage migrant seen briefly in May and again in July–August, favouring freshwater pools and marshy scrapes.

May–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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