Cold walk in the Woods

Once in a while I am called back to the Streyer Conservancy, just up the road.  38 degrees, dark clouds, but I need the walk.  I took my 100-400 with the 1.4X and it is amazing that a lens that big could focus down to three feet!  So I took a few shots, and I'm finding that with IS set on no. 1, I get a lot of very satisfactory results.
Here is what I have.

Same shot adding flash.

Good solid pictures with pretty amazing contrast in such dark light.

I can't wait to get to a environment with some color!! (Costa Rica).