| The large and handsome shorebird called Willet is quite familiar to most American birders, particularly for its raucous call note and striking wing pattern in flight. The individual pictured below was found perched on a swallow nest box at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York City, in the summer of 2004. |
| As familiar as I am with this species, my experience has been largely with breeding eastern birds; I am considerably less familiar with the larger western form, or with its wintering habits. So I was surprised to find hundreds of Willets lining the shore in Santa Monica, California, as I walked the beach one afternoon on a business trip in January of 2005. The picture at top below shows a view facing north on the beach- most of the hundreds of birds pictured are in fact Willets! Below that are nice images of first a pair and then a close-up individual- they were absurdly easy to film! |
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