This Black Skimmer went by my, at this exact spot, twice. I know that because at the first opportunity he blew right by me. I caught nothing.

These were some of my first photographs of the day, I probably wasn’t ready for Skimmers (a joke).

The second time I tried letting up on my focus when he disappeared behind the salt grass. I picked it up again as the bird came out the other side. Ha! It worked.

The lens didn’t fight to find the bird going by. Saved by ‘back button focus’.

I use that method with Herons and Spanish Moss.  However the difference is like shooting a snail and a rocket ship, LOL.