Work has taken off with a vengeance, so I have been a bit absent lately....
I photographed this oystercatcher last year in the last rays of the sun here on the beach in Plettenberg Bay. The high shutter speed was for the anticipated take-off. About 50% crop
Camera Model: NIKON Z 9
Shutter speed: 1/10000 sec
Aperture: 7.1
Exposure mode: Manual
Exposure compensation: -1/3
ISO: 2000
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
Processed in LR and PS. Noise reduction with Topaz DeNoise AI
Yes, work gets in the way!! Weekend warrior here. I like the stretching pose and behaviour. The blacks look great, and the reds really pop. The comp is a bit tight and top-heavy IMO - I'd add back some of the canvas that was cropped. Also may need some CCW rotation. Nice and sharp though, and the raised foot adds an additional element of interest.
Lighting and pose are great, but I think you need more room left and up as the bird's face is really crammed into that corner. A bit of CCW rotation might help. Also, did you boost the colors on the legs?
They look really intense. But a very nice result all considered.