Midnight is kind of a lousy time to be out mid-winter. Sunrise of the first day of the new year is, in my mind, much better.
Double Bluff Beach had its usual morning rowdies, gulls and crows. A heron, from my angle as large as a medium-sized dog, stood driftwood motionless next to a puddle.
The day promised to be gray, but as is common around here, gray is often punctuated right at sunrise or sunset when the sun reaches just above the horizon.
The one gull in particular was photo-bombing my sunrise “art.” He showed moments after I set up and circled back and forth right between the sunrise and my camera.
If it had been a person, I would have been frustrated, and would have likely given up, surrendering to someone’s idea of “fun” at my expense.
But, a bird became an opportunity to “add some depth.” So I composed myself (and my shot) towards the new day and waited for my friend’s bombing run. It took only moments before my own personal New Year’s rowdy came screaming through. Several rapid-fire clicks and we both were done.
The heron didn’t seem impressed.
To Get to Double Bluff Beach…
Take SR 525 north from Bayview (traffic light) 2.2 miles and turn left on Double Bluff Road. Follow it approximately 2 miles to a small parking lot. Parking is free. Be very mindful of the nearby homes.
Jack Penland lives on Whidbey Island with his wife, Diane. Even though they’ve lived here for more than 20 years, they keep finding new adventures, places to explore, and food to try.