Prairie Willet resting in a spartina marsh – Nikon D200, handheld, f9, 1/320, ISO 200, Nikon 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light
The image above was taken at Fort De Soto County Park on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast.
The willets there are habituated to people and because they are it is easier to approach them than it is here in Utah.
My Nikkor 80-400mm VR was being repaired when I photographed this Prairie Willet and I was using my 70-300mm VR. I approached the bird from the water, inching forward on my knees, so that I wouldn’t alarm the bird.
I’ve seen a few willets this week and I am glad they are back from their wintering grounds, I’ve missed them.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Prairie Willet photos plus facts and information about this species.
Update: Willets were split into two species in October 2026, Eastern willets are now Saltmarsh Willets, Tringa semipalmata. Western willets are now Prairie Willets, Tringa inornata. This post has been updated to reflect those changes.
Love the shot Mia, love the details on it’s colors which i typically don’t see
Dan, this bird may have been going into breeding plumage which seems to have more variation the the colors. Thanks!
Ah, the ol’ 300mm club (my club too). Great capture Mia. I love Willets, and I’m not really sure why. Maybe it’s just because they have a really funny name, or because they’re so non-descripte until they spread their wings…anyway I love this picture.
Laurence, I love Willets too, partly because they have such subtle plumage in contrast to when they have their wings lifted and partly because they have fiesty characters. Thanks for your comment on this image.
Beautiful Mia!
Thanks Susan!
Nice image Mia. Willets are one of my personal favorites!
Elijah, thanks for commenting on this image. I love Willets too!
Love the angle from which you shot the photograph. Stunning capture of a most beautiful bird!
Thank you Julie, if I had been any lower my lens would have been in the water!
Flocks of shorebirds might be what I miss most from California. It’s quite a difference to be inland on Puget Sound, as compared to the Pacific Coast. Your photos of Willets and Curlews made my heart skip a beat for the sounds and sights of home!
Ingrid, flocks of shorebirds are probably what I miss most about Florida too. Although we get many different species of shorebirds here in Utah they are not quite as approachable as the ones in Florida were. Breeding Curlews and Willets seem to be the exception to that however. Thanks for your comment!