Continued
Biology:
Size: Quite a small bird measuring about 16 inches.
Habitat: The coast and occasionally inland waters.

Nest: The usual site for the nest is on shingle,often on a beach quite close to the high water mark. A crevice among rocks or a hollow scraped in the ground generally furnishes the site for the nest itself, but on the moors a thick clump of grass or heather may hold it. Little nesting material is used, a scrappy collection of grass, heather, seaweed or other plants being the usual lining.

Eggs: Laying begins about the middle of May and there is only one clutch per year of 2-3 eggs. The eggs show considerable variation in both colour and markings. The background colour ranges from a pale buff to a greenish-blue to a brownish-olive and the markings are grey, brown and near black. They consist of spots, blotches and smears and are usually scattered sparsely over the shell, but may occasionally be more dense. Completely unmarked bluish eggs have also been recorded.