Willet in a fog – D200, handheld, kneeling in the water, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 320, 80-400mm VR at 400mm, +0.3 EV, natural light
The Willet is thought by many people to be a “plain brown bird” but I find their subtle coloring quite appealing whether they are in breeding or nonbreeding plumage.
As per my normal routine while I lived in Florida, I had arrived at the north beach of Fort De Soto before sunrise and as I pulled into the parking lot I could tell there was an early morning fog over the water.
I knew that the the odds were that the fog would burn off as the sun rose so I put on my backpack, got my gear together and walked over the footbridge to the beach.
Through the fog, I could see a Long-billed Curlew, some Marbled Godwits and a few Willets on the edge of the lagoon. I slipped my feet into the warm, salty water and then slowly made my way towards the birds.
As I drew nearer to them I dropped down onto my knees and inched my way towards the shorebirds while waiting for the sun to rise.
When there was some light I began taking photos while there was still some fog. This Willet had been preening just before I took this shot.
The Willet isn’t an especially colorful bird but it has a subtle beauty all of its own.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Willet photos plus facts and information about this species.
A lovely image. I like the mood from the fog as it compliments the monochromatic look of the willet.
I’m glad you’ve included the smaller image showing your field technique. I’m always interested by the methods used by others to get close and take thier images, and this tells viewers a lot about what it takes.