[tackyat.2]

This my first real try at shooting birds. It was quite a learning experience.

Thanks in advance.

[tim.anderson]

The colors look nice, and it seems you have the bird in pretty good focus, so my thought would be to crop down from the top and right a bit to bring the bird to a little more prominance. Not much that can be done for the spot in the lower left where a closer OOF branch is making a little halo that distracts.

[normhead]

Nice try. Apart from agreeing with the above post I'd congratulate you on your first effort. These little guys like bush type plants and can be hard to get in focus. There are almost always branches in the way. They are also pretty much fearless, but they are spooked by movement. Getting a little closer would be good. I found setting up a tripod in a comfortable place and waiting to be the only way to get close enough to get a decent shot. They are so small. My best shots of them were taken with a Sigma 120-400 which I have since returned. It was great for Chickadees but not soe good for things at a distance. Setting up close to my birdfeeder seems to give me the most opportunities. if you're just playing with the lens. I have 40 birds coming to my feeder and it's still hard to get a shot in the bushes or in a more natural looking environment.. so you've done good.

Technical issues.

Try and place the subject so that viewers can look the at what the subject might be looking at. This bird is looking out of the frame not into it.

The branch behind the chickadee is the in sharp focus, drawing your eye away from the bird (and in to the subjectless center of the frame.). I think you'd be better to crop it right out.

[slowpez]

I agree with the above posters but I do love that background color. It is really warm and inviting.

[tackyat.2]

I tried to address the problems with this new crop. Did it work?

In any case, I went out for a another shoot today. I'll be posting in the Post your Pictures forum.

[FH_le]

I really do like the background and the bokeh of the tree parts...
It appears more interesting too me than many typical bird shots, because it is not 'simply' one close bird in the middle!

Thanks for sharing...

[tackyat.2]

I appreciate the complement.

I don't have a long enough lens to get the shots like everyone else gets unless I'm very close, so I make do with what I've got.