Willet at Chastain Beach, Stuart, Florida a couple of days ago.

Willets seem to be here on South Hutchinson Island year round. They are usually alone when I see them.

Feeding both during the day and at night, Willets take most of their prey from the surface, using their sensitive bill tip to grab up worms, snails, and insects. They also probe for sand crabs and other prey on mudflats and beaches, and take shellfish and small fiddler crabs from rocky shorelines. You’ll usually see them on wetted shorelines or wading close to the water’s edge, but occasionally Willets paddle in shallow waters to chase down small fish and crabs.

Pretty feathers.

One Willet and one beachcomber.

Chastain Beach.

Willet alone.

A short walk south, at Bathtub Reef Beach (closed now for renourishment and repairs) a Great Egret was fishing out by the reef.

Rough seas offshore, calm water behind the reef.

Nearby, a Snowy Egret.