A Duck Out of Water

Surf Scoter -- Oakland/Alameda Estuary, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO: 1250

I'll grant you, it's not the prettiest picture.  The light was bad, the water was murky and the colors are brown and gray and gross.  I post this simply because it's something I've never photographed before: a surf scoter out of the water.  This is the farthest I've ever seen a surf scoter from water when not in flight.  Four inches, at best.  Even when they're flying they usually seem to fly over water.

I took this shot this morning after picking up coffee a block or so away from my house.  There are often scoters in the estuary in winter, this morning there about thirty or so, including this guy.