It was late afternoon and windy at the beach when I spotted a Willet hunting in a tidal pool.
Often these shore birds go back and forth in the same pool, probing around the edges for food.
This time the wind kept him moving further down the beach.
He was having success at finding some snacks.
A Willet preening at the surf’s edge.
A small flock of Willets stood at the edge of the surf, inching their way inland every few minutes as the tide moved in.
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.
Then he took off, first showing me his patterned underwings…
…then revealing a nice view of his the upper side of his wing, and a cool shadow.
I didn’t capture his shadow in this last image but I did like the driftwood background as the Willet flew away.
Botany Bay Island, SC, August 4, 2019
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.
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.
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.
They will completely immerse their heads looking for food, tipping like a bobbing garden ornament.
