A small flock of Willets stood at the edge of the surf, inching their way inland every few minutes as the tide moved in.
Willets in the Surf
I thought they might take flight, showing off their snazzy wing pattern. They were content to walk, run and hop through the rising water keeping their wings at their sides.
Willets are shore birds that tend to mind their own business and with their sand coloring it is easy to miss them. As the sun was coming up this one decided to take a stroll away from the water and there was a bit of contrast between him and the hard packed sand. The line shadows behind him were created by a dead tree standing in the ocean surf.
Willet and His Shadow
Then he took off, first showing me his patterned underwings…
Willet and His Shadow
…then revealing a nice view of his the upper side of his wing, and a cool shadow.
Willet and His Shadow
I didn’t capture his shadow in this last image but I did like the driftwood background as the Willet flew away.
Although I have seen a Willet in flight it is more common to see them walking the shore, poking the surf and sand for food.
Willet patrolling the shore
I didn’t see where he captured this fish but he took it to a wide open expanse of beach to consume it, alone. It’s size slowed him down. Just swallowing it wasn’t an option.
Willet with a good sized catch
The pools left by the falling tide attract the Willets. Calmer than the ocean surf they often are a concentrated food source as the water drains away.
Willet in a beach pool
They will completely immerse their heads looking for food, tipping like a bobbing garden ornament.