Have I mentioned how much I love to see, and photograph, herons when they look a little silly or awkward or goofy? Here’s one just about to take off. Unfortunately, it’s going in the other direction from me, but that might be what makes this photo work. Look at that ice: As scrawny as those feet are, they still melted it, and he realized that just in time to realize he had to GTFO. One foot’s dangling there, the other’s desperately trying to find enough purchase to get traction, the beak is just agape enough to suggest the word he might be squawking.

December 26, 2019. Cropped from a larger image. Nikon D7100 (DX sensor), Tamron 100–400mm lens at 400mm (35mm equivalent: 600mm), f/11, 1/500, ISO 1,600.