Spoonbill Dark Background

[Adams Serra]

I would like to see what you think about the dark background?? I made this image around 11 am at Ding Darling, I was trying to play with a few diferent things so I stacked a 1.4x and a 2.0x to a 600mm and had to take some light away not to blow the white on the spoonbill.

Canon 1DMkIII
600mm with 1.4x and 2.0x
Iso 400
F10
1/250
compensation -2.1/3

All comments are apreciated.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the pose, colors and details but I think the BG is too dark, at least for my liking. Maybe you could selectively tone down the whites so you don't have to decrease the exposure for the entire image.

[Fabs Forns]

I don't mind the Rembrandt light, very dramatic!

[Robert Amoruso]

I like the dark BG. I would be tempted to ditch the BG for an alternate version Adams.

[Adams Serra]

Hi Robert,
what would you sugest? I am a novice in photoshop and need all the help that i can get.
Thank you