Hi Desmond,
I like the composition and capture...I like the raised wing position...now the only thing needed are the minor tweaks in post processing...good show...:cool:
I try to get them larger in frame and might change the settings. Imagine you were going for dof? ... at that focal length and distance even 5.6 would have been plenty and would have had more shutter speed.
For those birds the only solution is soft light or heavy overcast (any white bird) The top probably can not have any more exposure and the under wings are under !! That close some flash would have helped !!!