Willets (Tringa semipalmata) have returned to Utah, on the causeway to Antelope Island hundreds of them can be seen in the shallow water. They seem to spend some time there fattening up after migration before they get down to the serious business of mating and rearing their young.
I n Utah I see Willets in much different habitats than I saw them in Florida, here they stand on rocks, perch precariously on shrubs and forage in grasslands. This Willet was perched on a Rabbitbrush as the breeze made the bird and the bush dance on Antelope Island State Park this week.
In Florida I would see Willets on sandy beaches, foraging in tidal lagoons, in Spartina marshes and in the waves of the Gulf of Mexico. This Willet was in sea-foam with gorgeous turquoise water in the background on Fort De Soto’s north beach.
Willets do call in Florida but not as frequently as they do here in Utah. This Willet was perched on a rock among the grasses on a hillside on Antelope Island State Park and stretched its wings.
I enjoy seeing and photographing Willets where ever I find them, they are beautiful shorebirds.
Mia McPherson, OntheWingPhotography.com
Mia McPherson
Mia McPherson is a nature lover, wildlife watcher and an avian photographer. Mia first become serious about bird photography when she moved to Florida in 2004. Her recent move to the Salt Lake area of Utah was a great opportunity to continue observing their behavior and photographing them. With so many birds species there easily accessible it wasn’t long before she was hooked. By learning more about each species, she can anticipate their behaviour and create opportunities to obtain ever better images of those species.
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