Date: 10/16/26 1:31 pm From: Don Morrow <donaldcmorrow...> Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] October at SMNWR
Willets are found at the refuge year-round, in numbers ranging from thirty
to several hundred. The refuge sees an annual shift between its breeding
population of Saltmarsh Willets that begin to leave the refuge in July to
winter along the coast of South America and our wintering population of
Prairie Willets that breed in the western US. These populations overlap at
the refuge from mid-March through April during Spring migration and from
late July into August in Fall migration.
[image: image.png]
The saltmarsh willet is more streaked, shorter-necked and has a shorter,
thicker bill that is faintly two-toned. The western willet is a lankier,
less marked bird with a slightly longer, thinner bill that is usually all
black.
That's the quick-and-dirty version. I'm working on an essay that would go
into more detail and include photos.
Don Morrow
<donaldcmorrow...> <donaldcmorow...>
Tallahassee, FL
On Fri, Oct 16, 2026 at 4:10 PM Anthony Lee <aleehomes...> wrote:
> Don what do you look for in order to identify the prairie or the saltmarsh
> willet?
>
> On Fri, Oct 16, 2026, 3:28 PM Don Morrow <donaldcmorrow...> wrote:
>
>> I watched the International Space Station in the night sky above St.
>> Marks NWR on Thursday morning. It was closely followed by an unmanned Cargo
>> Dragon capsule that was moving to link up with it. They passed soundlessly
>> overhead as Black-crowned Night Herons were flying in to roost, barking in
>> the dark, mindless of the technological marvel taking place 250 miles above
>> them. Slowly, the light gathered and Gray Catbirds began to call,
>> announcing another Fall day at the refuge.
>>
>> These mornings at St. Marks are cool and colorful. Goldenrod is in bloom
>> and Muhly grass is a pink haze along the edges of the levees. Butterflies
>> are swarming; Cloudless Sulphurs, Gulf Fritillaries, Long-tailed Skippers
>> and the first few Monarchs.
>>
>> Outlying rain bands from Hurricane Isaias dropped a lot of rain on the
>> refuge and the pools and ponds are full. Favorable winds gave a boost to
>> migration and in two nights, fifteen million birds passed through the
>> refuge. Most of these were thrushes, warblers and flycatchers, just passing
>> through. Yellow Warblers are easy to find right now. Look for them on
>> Goldenrod as they search for insects. Thrushes make use of fruit on
>> migration and I’ve recently found Swainson’s Thrushes at the refuge feeding
>> on Yaupon, Sweetbay and Viburnum. This migratory pulse also brought in
>> wintering birds; Swamp Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Phoebes and
>> Northern Harriers.
>>
>> Our winter duck population starts climbing in October and then jumps up
>> in late November. Waterfowl populations are usually still low in
>> mid-October, but generally show the first increase in diversity as a few
>> pintails and wigeons begin to show up among the usual Blue-winged Teal. I
>> found 56 Blue-winged Teal and a single Northern Shoveler on the refuge on
>> Thursday. Most of the teal were skittish and easily spooked, a sign of
>> active migrants.
>>
>> The refuge’s Land Protection Plan calls for one area to be closed in
>> order to provide an area for waterfowl to rest, unmolested. Signs have
>> gone up closing the Gulf-side levee on the southeastern side of Mounds 3.
>> This closure is for the winter season.
>>
>> The refuge’s current high water levels have inundated shorebird flats
>> and the refuge biologist is working to adjust water levels to accommodate
>> both ducks and shorebirds. On Thursday, I had only a handful of shorebirds,
>> but they included a Black-necked Stilt, a Red Knot and a Dunlin, all on
>> Tower Pond. Dunlin normally begin to arrive in October and by November,
>> they will be the most common shorebird on the refuge.
>>
>> The American Ornithological Society has decided to split one of our most
>> common shorebirds, the Willet, into two species. The new Saltmarsh Willet
>> is our local breeder and the new Prairie Willet is our wintering bird,
>> currently on the refuge. If you keep a bird list, your total just went up
>> by one with no effort.
>>
>> One other thing that you can do with almost no effort is come down to
>> St. Marks. We have birds, butterflies and glorious Fall weather waiting for
>> you.
>>
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>>
>
