Long-tailed Tits.

These are lovely little birds, but I think they have a couple of expressos every morning because they never stay still. Difficult shooting conditions in a bush!

All by himself

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Hmmmm..... indeed a tough condition. Still, a couple more things would help.
1. when shooting against bright sky like this, i automatically bump up EC to +0.33 or +0.67.
2. ISO will not be lower than 400.
3. i will also pop up flash and use fill flash.
4. i don't have IS lens, so a mono or tripod is needed in situation like this.

I checked the exif in your second shot. If you increase your ISO one stop, i.e. from 200 to 400, then you could shoot at f8 instead of f5.6, which in turn gives you more DoF. I would even try ISO800.
Just some suggestions.

Thanks Fee. As always great tips and hopefully I've learnt something for next time.

Damian, there's a lot of scope here to bring some more detail out in PP - I've attached versions of your pictures where I've lifted things in Curves. What do you think?

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we get these now and then but not got a good shot yet like your's they seem to hide and getting the tail in as well not so easy a good try here though
Rob

One of the most difficult situations I find is the above Damian even harder than in-flight shots. Lots of branches, dark background, deep shadows, inevitably means pumping up the ISO, opening up the aperture, using flash etc to compensate for the difficult conditions.
But PP does helps tremendously has keith has had a stab at it, and proves what a difference it can make.
A good find of the Long-tailed tit, skittish in my experience and quite a small bird to capture, so well done Damian, nice shots.

Thanks everyone - and Keith thanks for the PP. It does improve them, but maybe a little too bright. I have to be honest and say that after a 12 hour day at work photoshop doesn't really appeal to me all that much - guess I better learn to love it.