Szalajj wrote:
My personal preference is the first two shots. To me, the birds seemed to pop out of the shots. I love the warmth of the colors.
After reading the entire list of comments and responses, I understand that the first two shots are actually the "Cloudy" setting.
So, now I need to experiment when I go out to shoot birds in the future. We all learn from breaking out of our comfort zones.
The author of one of my photography books recommended shooting using the "cloudy" setting to create more warmth in images. I've played around but haven't decided which I like more, thus the experiment. I still don't know but have narrowed it down to what kind of mood I want to create. While it might be important to keep the image true to the natural colors, the artistic element is about creating mood to some degree.
Thanks for adding to the thread with your thoughtful comments.