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Looks like a Turkey Vulture head on a body with Golden Eagle wings, lol.  I'll go with Golden Eagle though, because of the distinctive white wing patches.  Condors and Turkey Vultures have white/silver underwing markings, but they are quite different.

Agree, juvenile Snow Geese.

Yes indeed, Black-crowned Night Heron.  Looks very blue in your picture, though.

This is the only decent picture I've been able to get of one.  They move too fast!  Reminds me of trying to ID a fighter plane flying overhead.

The Peregrine Falcon can plunge down on it's target at over 170 mph.  No seatbelt, no airbags.

We use shadows when fishing also, though we use the shadow from trees or the landscape.  Poarized sunglasses help too, but the poor birds don't have the ears to hold them on.  The shadow makes it much easier to see the fish beneath the surface, though it does not ''lure'' them in.  It's an amazing behavior and your pictures are ...

I have yet to see one of these in the wild, but they are indeed a more vivid blue in breeding plumage.  I do not recall hearing or reading about any local variations in color, but it could be possible.

Birds shouldn't smoke at such a young age....tsk, tsk

I agree with Hairy also, Downy has a shorter bill.

Cranes are what come to mind from that description for me, although I suppose a heron could fit depending on the plumage.  Check out a Sandhill Crane.