Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

#3 is a beautiful bird! I think #1 might be completely out of focus, making it tough to evaluate (well, for me anyway :)

#2 - I think the best focus is on the right side of the branch. When I download and magnify, it doesn't look much different from others (including mine) that I've seen on the site.

However, if you could take closer shots of a subject where you have a lot more of the frame in focus, we can probably compare a bit better.

This is probably one of my better close-ups, but I'm thinking the background (purple) looks similar to yours. ISO 400. I shoot only in jpeg.

Ka2azman Loc: Tucson, Az

What I'm looking at is not the bird, but rather the greenery. (bokeh) Yes it is to be out of focus but look at the blotchiness of the greenery especially in #2. Even in #3 you can detect it. Even in #1, that is why I picked these.
When looking at other's pictures I see pixels that are blocked especially along the edges when zoomed in, mine are blotched.
Oh and thank you for your time to evaluate these.

Update:
When I downloaded you flower, and in PSE10 viewed it at 100% I saw what I'm talking about, at 9 o'clock in purple and on the edges, and at 3 o'clock in the greenery. The person who sent the purple flower had to do something else because his doesn't increase in size but when zoomed all the edges are pixelated (square) nice and sharp.

Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

I use a Nikon p510 and the images are tack sharp at 42X.
I suggest you screw it to a tripod and fire a few shots and see if camera shake I the problem. Also WHERE the camera focuses can be an issue. Looks like your fuzzy bird was the result of the camera focusing on the branch below the boid.

Might get some info from this that will get you on the right track

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

OK I do see what you're talking about. I think the graphics of my laptop, along with my lack of technical expertise, make this something I'm not qualified to analyze :)