Bufflehead from the kayak

[Dorian Anderson]

This was captured an hour after the night-heron frame from two days ago, the gold water created by the the same earthen cliffs I used for the background
in that shot. I wasn't initially thrilled with the blue at the bottom of the frame - was hoping for all gold but gathering wind made that impossible - but the
blue/gold combo grew on me through the processing process.

I cannot tell you how hard it is to get the kayak correctly positioned ahead of the inevitable and usually distant Bufflehead escape. Knowing when to drop the
paddle and reach for the big rig is skill unto itself. If I'm lucky, I might get the bird in viewfinder for second before it's gone. And remember, I'm in a tiny
boat, so I am moving too; 3-inch wave passing under my boat will move even a stationary subject out of my viewfinder at the distance I'm shooting. So
yeah, this is some of the hardest shooting a person can do.

Canon 600mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX2
1/5000 at f/5.6, ISO 800
Minimally processed in LR CC