Bernard Shore , The Claw (NATURE WILDERNESS 2024)

After spotting a pair of white-faced Heron, I settled in and waited. Although backlit and imposing as they were I knew there was more to their character than initially appeared. The furthest of the pair slowly swivelled its head toward me making eye contact while lifting one of its claws, bringing it into frame. Turning this heron into a more dramatic and staggering creature. This image was shot on my Nikon Z8 and 800mm Z PF 6.3

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.