Northern Shoveler - female

Look at those bristles! Evolved alongside the highly-specialized, wide=splayed beak, they filter out inedible material while the bird feeds. I'd not captured the small structures swell before, so I was really happy when this lady decided to give me a wide smile. This is my best frame of a female shoveler and salvaged what was otherwise a very slow morning of shooting. All it takes is one frame, right? Shutter was hella fast since I was set up for flight before this bird swam within range.

Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, 2/21/21
Canon 600mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX2
1/5000 at f/5.6, ISO 800