Gale, after looking at your other work, I still think technically you do a great job. The one issue you have is that you like to shoot subjects that most people have seen A LOT. Those birds are photographed by a lot of people and therefore we see them a lot, I think that makes it even more difficult to get those real uniqe shots.

I know that most bird shots look similar, the trick is to give your shot that somthing different. I noticed that your western birds, the osprey and eagles have some interesting motion AND better light, so I think they are more appealing.

While your exposures on the Rookery/Ding birds all look good, considering the full sun and no clouds, better light would have added a little somthing special. Maybe try shooting early or late and see where that goes.

I'd say you have tackled a huge challange - shooting large birds! It's got to be fun, or you would not do it, that much I know, but now you have to take the next step and push your photography to next level. Theres at least two ways to do that, first, study the birds more, second, change the light. Like I said, most judges have seen a hundred herron shots of them in a tree, now photograph well, somthing I have not seen a herron do, that will get the judges attention!!!

Take care, Tony