Date: 10/16/26 8:33 pm From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: RE: [NFLbirds] October at SMNWR
All good information. I have been working very hard with the two Willets since Kevin Karlson introduced me to them in the 1990s. One observation I was able to give back to KK was that (at least on the Texas Coast), Easterns nest in the salt marsh (often eating fiddler crabs) [thus the name] while Westerns (Prairie) winter along the coastal surge zone (beach) often feeding on worms like polycheates and even fish (!).
The two are photographed together in the attached image, though frankly difficult due to different habitat preference. Salt Marsh Willets are chunkier with a shorter, perhaps thicker beak, while Westerns are more godwit-like. Identifications that are more “jizz” and less pure field marks are tougher at first, but we get used to separating them in our gut as time (and familiarity) moves along.
[Another interest of mine is right- vs. left-brained thinkers and the former (more artsy types) make IDs based on jizz* while left-brained folks tend to rely on bird ID (and many situations) more with the “safe” field marks. As a bird guide for over 30 years, I have seen this time and time again, often even with couples diverging in process.] And yes, some folks are varying combinations of the two processes.
*Jizz is a corruption of a similar WW II term for identifying Nazi planes (I believe), based on general information of size and shape).
Jim in Galveston
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.
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.
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.
