Face-off

I have been trying to get my first shot of the Chinese Pond Heron of the present season, ever since I sighted it last month, it being as usual super shy.  So when I saw its silhouette in the distance I was hoping to be lucky this time.  However as I approached I thought it was rather uncharacteristic of it to remain so immobile despite me closing up on it, in fact was rock still.

Then I saw the reason for it, the Crested Serpent-eagle on an eye-level branch just metres away!  As I was taking my shots of the big one which turned to look at me, I saw the Heron, out of the corner of the eye, taking flight - clever!  But it also meant that I was left with only a single profile shot of the Heron.