Nicely done. Agree that the light is harsh but you have managed to control the exposure well here... the black band is not always easy to expose correctly. Love the sharpness of the image too.
The vast majority of birdwatchers nowadays try to cover maximum ground in very little time, trying to record as many species as possible. However, patient observation of one or a few species, at a fixed location, is much more rewarding in terms of the knowledge one gathers about their behaviour.