I would have also taken the same steps as Richard outlined... And  also with the Histogram adjustments.. It is good if you are expecting the bird to land on the tree but I find my canon tends to need some exposure compensation in the first place, so it is good practice to check on what camera you use to see if dialing in around an fstop will help you... Having a longer focal length will allow you to get in closer to the bird and get around the open backlit sky to make a better exposure..

Danny O'Byrne  http://www.digitalartzone.co.uk/

"All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for the inability to notice" Eliott Erwitt