William Nicholas EdwardsWILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

WETLANDS & COAST / WILLIAM EDWARDS

Where land meets water.

Willets on the shoreline, herons in the marsh, and the changing light across the water. Explore birds and wildlife at the water’s edge.

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) — Two Willets and their long shadows share golden surf at Virginia Beach. Audubon 2026 Top 100, entry No. 44. — Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Two Willets and their long shadows share golden surf at Virginia Beach. Audubon 2026 Top 100, entry No. 44.
Did you know? Sensitive bill tips help Willets find food after dark as well as in daylight.
Species notes ↗

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) — A heron rises above marsh flowers, surrounded by bands of sunlit color. — Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
A heron rises above marsh flowers, surrounded by bands of sunlit color.
Did you know? Beaver-created wetlands can provide excellent places for herons to feed and nest.
Species notes ↗

Sanderling (Calidris alba) — A small shorebird and its reflection occupy a quiet expanse of pale water. — Sanderling
Calidris alba
A small shorebird and its reflection occupy a quiet expanse of pale water.
Did you know? Some nonbreeding birds skip the long summer journey to Arctic nesting grounds.
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Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) — Golden light traces delicate head feathers against a darker background. — Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Golden light traces delicate head feathers against a darker background.
Did you know? Its yellow feet can become a deeper orange-yellow at the height of breeding season.
Species notes ↗

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) — A Willet steps through the foam as a wave folds around its legs. — Willet
Tringa semipalmata
A Willet steps through the foam as a wave folds around its legs.
Did you know? Both parents incubate the eggs, but the male takes the nighttime shift.
Species notes ↗

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) — Soft light picks out the curve of the neck and the swan’s dark facial markings. — Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Soft light picks out the curve of the neck and the swan’s dark facial markings.
Did you know? Pairs can maintain their bonds across multiple breeding seasons.
Species notes ↗

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) — A fish held in the bill captures the decisive result of a patient hunt. — Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
A fish held in the bill captures the decisive result of a patient hunt.
Did you know? Despite its impressive height, a Great Blue Heron weighs only about five to six pounds.
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Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) — Colorful plumage and rippled reflections turn an ordinary swim into a portrait. — Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Colorful plumage and rippled reflections turn an ordinary swim into a portrait.
Did you know? Ducklings leap from their tree-cavity nest and make their way to water soon after hatching.
Species notes ↗

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) — A dark mask, pale crown, and clear eye define a patient waterside hunter. — Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
A dark mask, pale crown, and clear eye define a patient waterside hunter.
Did you know? Coastal nesting can be timed to the spring emergence of crabs.
Species notes ↗

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) — Long pink legs trail a Black-necked Stilt as it flies low above its reflection. — Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
Long pink legs trail a Black-necked Stilt as it flies low above its reflection.
Did you know? Only flamingos have longer legs in proportion to their bodies than stilts.
Species notes ↗

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) — Pastel evening light surrounds a heron balanced on a narrow perch. — Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Pastel evening light surrounds a heron balanced on a narrow perch.
Did you know? Special powder-down feathers and a comb-like claw help it clean fish slime from its plumage.
Species notes ↗

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) — Open wings carry a Little Blue Heron above warm wetland reflections. — Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Open wings carry a Little Blue Heron above warm wetland reflections.
Did you know? Young birds start out white and become blue as they mature.
Species notes ↗

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) — Pink plumage stands against the deep greens of the marsh. — Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
Pink plumage stands against the deep greens of the marsh.
Did you know? Pigments called carotenoids in its food give its feathers their pink color.
Species notes ↗

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) — A backward glance gives this waterside portrait its tension and character. — Green Heron
Butorides virescens
A backward glance gives this waterside portrait its tension and character.
Did you know? It sometimes uses insects, feathers, or bits of bread as bait to lure fish.
Species notes ↗

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) — Warm light reaches a secretive marsh bird between reeds and water. — Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola
Warm light reaches a secretive marsh bird between reeds and water.
Did you know? Although it usually walks through marsh vegetation, it can swim and even dive.
Species notes ↗

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) — A small skimmer and its reflection sit within a wide field of wetland color. — Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
A small skimmer and its reflection sit within a wide field of wetland color.
Did you know? Finding fish by touch lets this bird feed in dim light and even darkness.
Species notes ↗

Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) — Cool blue water and a delicate perch frame the heron’s long silhouette. — Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
Cool blue water and a delicate perch frame the heron’s long silhouette.
Did you know? Adults greet their increasingly demanding nestlings with bows when delivering food.
Species notes ↗

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) — A crested merganser pauses at the edge of the river. — Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
A crested merganser pauses at the edge of the river.
Did you know? Its fish-catching bill has earned it the nickname sawbill.
Species notes ↗

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) — A close view brings the Wood Duck’s striking head pattern into focus. — Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
A close view brings the Wood Duck’s striking head pattern into focus.
Did you know? It is the only North American duck that regularly produces two broods in a year.
Species notes ↗

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) — Water droplets surround a bathing swan in a dramatic burst of light. — Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Water droplets surround a bathing swan in a dramatic burst of light.
Did you know? The black knob above a male’s bill swells during the breeding season.
Species notes ↗

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) — An adult and chick share the crowded space of a wetland nest. — Wood Stork
Mycteria americana
An adult and chick share the crowded space of a wetland nest.
Did you know? One banded wild Wood Stork was recorded at more than 22 years old.
Species notes ↗

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) — A close view reveals the extraordinary bill texture and orange eye of a spoonbill. — Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
A close view reveals the extraordinary bill texture and orange eye of a spoonbill.
Did you know? A chick’s bill is not spoon-shaped at hatching; it starts flattening at about nine days old.
Species notes ↗

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) — A dark heron stands quietly in water warmed by the last light. — Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
A dark heron stands quietly in water warmed by the last light.
Did you know? Birds changing from white juvenile feathers to blue adult plumage are sometimes called calico herons.
Species notes ↗

Great Egret (Ardea alba) — A white egret reaches into the water, bringing the hunt into a single gesture. — Great Egret
Ardea alba
A white egret reaches into the water, bringing the hunt into a single gesture.
Did you know? During breeding season, the skin around its eyes turns a striking green.
Species notes ↗

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) — A raised crest and direct gaze give this riverside perch a strong sense of character. — Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
A raised crest and direct gaze give this riverside perch a strong sense of character.
Did you know? The female has an extra rusty band across her belly, making her more colorful than the male.
Species notes ↗

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) — Spread wings and flying droplets mark the instant a kingfisher leaves the water. — Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Spread wings and flying droplets mark the instant a kingfisher leaves the water.
Did you know? It digs a nesting tunnel into a bank that can extend one to eight feet.
Species notes ↗

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) — Broad wings sweep over sunlit reeds and purple wetland flowers. — Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Broad wings sweep over sunlit reeds and purple wetland flowers.
Did you know? Its low-light vision lets it hunt at night as well as during the day.
Species notes ↗

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) — A Green Heron leans along a weathered branch, its yellow eye fixed ahead. — Green Heron
Butorides virescens
A Green Heron leans along a weathered branch, its yellow eye fixed ahead.
Did you know? It occasionally dives for prey in deeper water and swims back to shore.
Species notes ↗

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) — Fanned wings and a sharp downward gaze capture a moment just above a bare branch. — Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Fanned wings and a sharp downward gaze capture a moment just above a bare branch.
Did you know? Adults regurgitate pellets of fish bones and scales that reveal what they have eaten.
Species notes ↗

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) — A raised wing and tousled head give this shallow-water encounter a sense of motion. — Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
A raised wing and tousled head give this shallow-water encounter a sense of motion.
Did you know? This species has dark and white color forms; chicks of both can occur in one nest.
Species notes ↗

Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

A pale eye and blue-gray bill stand out in a close coastal portrait.

Did you know? A comb-like edge on the middle claw helps it groom its feathers.

Species notes ↗

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) — A tiny feather balances at the tip of an Anhinga’s long golden bill. — Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga
A tiny feather balances at the tip of an Anhinga’s long golden bill.
Did you know? Its wettable feathers and dense bones help it submerge while stalking fish.
Species notes ↗

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) — A Caspian Tern carries a fish beneath one raised wing across a pale sky. — Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
A Caspian Tern carries a fish beneath one raised wing across a pale sky.
Did you know? Young may receive food from their parents for months after leaving the nest.
Species notes ↗

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) — A small fish catches the light between the open tips of a Reddish Egret’s bill. — Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
A small fish catches the light between the open tips of a Reddish Egret’s bill.
Did you know? It runs, spreads its wings, and stirs the shallows to flush small fish into view.
Species notes ↗

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