Least Sandpiper (winter plumage)

This smallest North American shorebird nests in the Arctic and winters in the Southern United States and Latin America. They're common in California between September and April but difficult to photograph because they're small, skittish, and partial to soft mud, the sort which can consume a photographer and gear with a single misstep! Given those barriers, I happily dropped to my stomach when I encountered this cooperative individual on a firm tidal flat. He spent 99% of his time with his beak in the sand, so I was stoked to get this split-second of eye contact as he sprinted from one feeding area to another. I wish I'd had a bit more depth of field ( f/8 or f/9) to get the far/right leg in focus or a slightly faster shutter (1/3200 or 1/4000) to better freeze the near/left, but I didn't have time to dial in more ISO and make the respective adjustments before he scampered out of range. Regardless, I think splitting the difference worded well!

Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, California, 3/27/21
Canon 600mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/2500 at f/7.1, ISO 1250