I prefer image #2, because it is much more colorful than image #1. The dead tree provides a great ‘base’ for the bird and has lots of color and pattern on it. The green of the moss on the trunk is repeated just behind the bird’s head and really helps draw your eye there. The feathers are sharp and colorful. I particularly like the DOF and the framing of this image. Love the positioning of the bird, including the wing down at it’s side.

For image #1, I like the blur of the wings, however, the photo is too monochromatic for me, – there is not enough contrast between bird and background. The bird’s head is sharp, but the lines around the bird’s body don’t appear sharp. I wish there was different/more color in the bird or in the background. Something to make the bird stand out more.