Willet

Thanks to you too, annorion, we must've been writing at the same time. But I'm sure now that it's a NON-breeding adult. I'm going by my pictures, and "The Sibley Guide to Birds", which shows two distinctly different races, Eastern & Western. The Eastern in breeding plumage is brownish mostly, while the Western is Gray, as my photos testify to. In fact, I'll post a set from Feb. & July so you and everyone can see the difference. Thanks again!

Yes! I do believe you're correct. I only started photographing, and paying any attention to, birds since Feb., so even though I've photographed & I.D.'d over 120 birds so far, I haven't seen a whole years cycle of plumage for any of them. We do have Willets here in Summer, and I just went back and reviewed some pics I took in July, and compared them to the ones I took in Feb. Big difference! In breeding plumage they are much grayer and plain-looking than in non-breeding plumage, which is what this has to be. And I had dismissed that possibility already!! Thanks very much, Sarah!!