Juvenile Steller's Jay

I posted another shot of this bird in Avian a few days ago. In that shot, the bird was in the sun and the background in the shade. This situation was precisely the opposite with the bird and perch heavily shaded and the background brightly lit. I posted this one here rather than Avian because the look of the bird required it’s focus of attention to be included (at least in my mind).

Specific Feedback Requested

Anything. Some of the brightest areas of the background were blown, so I painted over them with a very light brush taken from adjoining areas.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Sony A1, FE 200-600 + 1.4 TC @ 350 mm, tripod and gimbal head from my blind. F/8, 1/200, iso 1250, fill flash at -2 EV, manual exposure. Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped from a horizontal original to a 4280x5144 vertical. Bird brought up with respect to background. Taken August 21st at 9:43 AM under sunny skies (the perch was shaded by a tree over my pool area).

Dennis, I do prefer the previous shot to this one. To my eye there is too much bright BG here (still).I’d lighten the darker parts of the bird above the breast too. That said, the breast is stunning, and the attitude is all-important. How do the droplets get onto the bamboo? (Nice to see you getting Georg Steller’s surname spelt right - they should make a movie of his amazing life. He’s remembered in these parts for the mind-blowing Steller’s Sea Eagle).