The birds with long, slightly up-turned bills walking to the left are Marbled Godwits, the smaller-billed bird looking to the right is a Willet. Pre-dawn wildlife photography forces you into creative mode, there is just not enough light to freeze motion. This shot was taken at 400mm, f/2.8, 1/40s, ISO 6400. Fortunately, the Willet was fairly still and looking at me, while the godwits were steadily moving to the water's edge. The thin depth of field and slow shutter speed has blurred the godwits, while the Willet is as sharp as the high ISO will allow. I got really lucky that the Willet was looking in the opposite direction of the godwit herd, helping it to stand out as the subject of the photo. This is not a shot that could be taken in daylight without filters, and by the time you get out filters, the moment has passed you by. The number one photographer's tool is... an alarm clock! October 2023