abendall's Identifications

I was observing this pair of Buffleheads while they were diving for food just offshore from Alki Beach. It was well below freezing but clear and calm. The winter sun was still relatively low in the eastern sky. I was carrying my binoculars and camera and telephoto lens on a tripod. I was attempting to capture the moment of a dive, just before their bill enters the water. I wasn't successful although I did manage to capture a couple of instances when they arched forward with only the tip of a bill submerged. It happens in a fraction of a second. All of a sudden, the female initiated a takeoff and the male followed suit. I was able photograph a nice sequence as they splashed and flapped their way to my right and parallel to the shore. They were perfectly synchronized as can be seen here.