I think we have all had similar experiences Brenda.

It is not an easy shot to capture a white bird against a dark background.

The problem is with metering the shot - the cameras built in meter is very good at averaging out exposures so when you have a mix of dark and light it averages and you end up with lost shadows and blown highlights if the dynamic range is too large for the camera, which it invariably will be with white birds.

If possible and this probably won't be with wildlife set to spot meter and meter of the brightest part and reduce the exposure by 2 stops.

Otherwise I think it is experience with this particular type of shot and recognising the scene. Bracketing your exposures will help because then you are likely to get one that is exposed correctly, from studying these you can determine how much you need to stop up from what the camera says.

Message edited on: 01/29/2006 17:22

And every one said, 'If we only live,
We too will go to sea in a Sieve,---
To the hills of the Chankly Bore!'
Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve.

Edward Lear
http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/ns/jumblies.html