Best time to see: mid Apr to mid Oct

Key facts

Small brown and white wader often seen bobbing its rear end

Habitat: freshwater marshes, estuaries and upland streams with shallow margins

Summer visitor to the UK, breeding in hill districts; passage migrant in Essex

Recognition

Brown upperparts, white underparts, short greenish legs; 20 cm

Often seen creeping along margins of freshwater areas; bobs rear end continuously

Eats insects, molluscs and crustaceans; flickering flight usually low over water, with twee-wee-wee call

Lifecycle

Range covers half the world, breeding in Europe and Asia and wintering in Africa and even Australia

Nest is a hollow on ground; one brood May to June; 4 buff eggs speckled brown