A nice series of birds. My birds always fly into the most dense foliage and then pose. It's hard to focus on the bird without a branch getting in the way. I think you did well. It takes a lot of practice to get that special shot. It also takes work processing it to make it even better. I'm also dealing with snow and frigid temps. For a first attempt with your new lens, you did well. More practice is needed You got a lot of good advice here.