I was looking for the Barred Owl that frequents Vaill Point Park in St. Augustine Florida, checking every likely limb in that little patch of mixed forest along the creek, which is how I happened on this Raccoon, doing his or her best to look like a lump on the limb. Not good photographic conditions. Too far into the forest, too dark, and too backlit at that. Still, who could resist?

I used the full reach of the zoom on the Canon SX40HS, plus 2x digital tel-extender for the equivalent of 1680mm. Despite the ISO 800, that pushed the shutter speed to an impossible 1/80th of a second (impossible at that focal length). Still the Canon’s image stabilization pulled it off! f5.8.

Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity and sharpness.